Compare towns
Fairlee vs Worcester vs Norton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
Worcester has the youngest population (median age 47).
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 | Worcester | Norton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54Lowest |
831Highest |
108 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
47±2.7Lowest 9% above VT |
53.8±6.7 25% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
13%±21.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Norton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±15.8 VT: 21.4% |
| 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 VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
4.6%±10.7 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Norton 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 VT |
$73,833±$18kHighest 9% below VT |
$65,625±$23k 19% below VT |
| Worcester and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,500±$28kHighest 12% below VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$200,000±$32kLowest 37% below VT |
| Fairlee and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,057±$620Highest 14% below VT |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
— |
| Fairlee and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750 26% below VT |
$4,421Highest 12% below VT |
$2,769Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
— |
| Fairlee and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | — | 29 minLowest 22% above VT |
39 minHighest 68% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.5%±30.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
25.5%±18Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Norton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.