What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairlee has the highest household income ($75k).

Ludlow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Fairlee	Ludlow
People
Population	1,066Lowest	1,990Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+10.6%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT	52.2±6.2Lowest 21% above VT
	Fairlee and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9%	14.1%±6Highest VT: 17.9%
	Ludlow 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%	31.1%±2Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Fairlee and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Highest VT: 43.8%	45.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 7%	5.8%±6.4Highest VT: 7%
	Ludlow and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,760±$10kHighest 8% below VT	$54,885±$14kLowest 32% below VT
	Fairlee and Ludlow 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	$370,200±$46kHighest 17% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT	$1,112±$151Highest 10% below VT
	Ludlow and Fairlee 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	$4,890Lowest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4%	45.2%±25.2Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Fairlee and Ludlow 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%	5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	71.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT	1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 3% above VT	20 minLowest 14% below VT
Work from home	15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9%	21.3%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9%
	Ludlow 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	Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.