Compare towns

Fairlee vs Dummerston vs Brookline vs Fairlee

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 affordable homes ($274k median).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Brookline has the youngest population (median age 45.1).
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).

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.

MeasureFairleeDummerstonBrooklineFairlee
People
Population
1,066
2,090Highest
531
54Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
VT: +2.8%
+0.1%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
+1.9%Highest
VT: +2.8%
—
Median age
56.2±8.7
30% above VT
45.6±11.7
6% above VT
45.1±2.7Lowest
5% above VT
63.5±7.6Highest
47% above VT
Fairlee and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
12.2%±4.2
VT: 17.9%
21.7%±6Highest
VT: 17.9%
20%±6
VT: 17.9%
0%±52.4Lowest
VT: 17.9%
Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
33.4%±5.2
VT: 21.4%
24.3%±3
VT: 21.4%
19.6%±4.2Lowest
VT: 21.4%
37%±54.9Highest
VT: 21.4%
Fairlee and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
46.5%
VT: 43.8%
58.7%Highest
VT: 43.8%
41.1%
VT: 43.8%
11.1%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.3%±3.7Highest
VT: 7%
1.3%±1.1
VT: 7%
3.2%±1.6
VT: 7%
0%±26.2Lowest
VT: 7%
Fairlee and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$74,760±$10k
8% below VT
$101,696±$21kHighest
25% above VT
$80,833±$16k
about the VT average
$21,071±$13kLowest
74% below VT
Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$274,200±$39kLowest
13% below VT
$335,300±$22kHighest
6% above VT
$290,700±$37k
8% below VT
$277,500±$28k
12% below VT
Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,083±$242
12% below VT
$1,392±$126
13% above VT
$1,732±$232Highest
40% above VT
$1,057±$620Lowest
14% below VT
Brookline and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,617Highest
11% above VT
$4,536
10% below VT
$5,000
about the VT average
$3,750Lowest
26% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
89.2%±71.3
VT: 48.4%
44.1%±32.2Lowest
VT: 48.4%
47.8%±94.7
VT: 48.4%
100%±55.5Highest
VT: 48.4%
Fairlee and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
14.7%
VT: 10.1%
4.5%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
6.2%
VT: 10.1%
50%Highest
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.9%
VT: 73.2%
92.9%Highest
VT: 73.2%
84.9%
VT: 73.2%
57.5%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1972
4 yrs older than VT
1971
5 yrs older than VT
1975Highest
1 yr older than VT
1942Lowest
34 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
3% above VT
21 minLowest
11% below VT
28 minHighest
21% above VT
—
Work from home
15%±7.9Lowest
VT: 16.9%
25.9%±10.3Highest
VT: 16.9%
20.6%±5.2
VT: 16.9%
23.5%±30.4
VT: 16.9%
Dummerston and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district Rivendell Interstate School District Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 — —
High school in town None in town None in town — —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.