Compare towns
Fairlee vs Mendon vs Salisbury
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).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Salisbury has the most kids (16.6% under 18).
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 | Mendon | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
1,113 |
1,200Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
50.6±6.5Lowest 17% above VT |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Mendon 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% |
29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Salisbury 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% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10kLowest 8% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Mendon and Salisbury 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 |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
| Mendon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Mendon 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 |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 3% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
19 min 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school 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.