Compare towns
Fairlee vs Jay vs Ripton
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 (19.1% rent).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Jay | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Highest |
471Lowest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
| Fairlee and Jay 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% |
14.2%±7.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Jay and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Ripton 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% |
45.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10kLowest 8% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 12% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.