Compare towns
Fairlee vs Newfields vs Orford vs Norton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
Newfields has the most expensive homes ($646k median).
Norton has the most affordable homes ($200k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Fairlee | Newfields | Orford | Norton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 54Lowest |
2,023Highest |
1,295 |
108 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 63.5±7.6Highest 63% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S. |
48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
53.8±6.7 38% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±52.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
13%±21.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Newfields and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 37%±54.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±15.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±26.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±10.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $21,071±$13kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$92,571±$24k 15% above U.S. |
$65,625±$23k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,500±$28k 17% below U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$271,900±$25k 18% below U.S. |
$200,000±$32kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,057±$620Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,263±$686 11% below U.S. |
— |
| Newfields and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750 20% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,836 87% above U.S. |
$2,769Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±55.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Fairlee and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 50%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | — | 26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
39 minHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.5%±30.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±18Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Newfields School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Rivendell Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.