Compare towns
Fairlee vs Middlebury 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 kids (12.2% under 18).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Fairlee has the most people working from home (23.5%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066 |
7,220Highest |
54Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below 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%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7 VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairlee and Middlebury 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% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest 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% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$86,250±$18kHighest 6% above VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
| Middlebury and Fairlee 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 |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$277,500±$28k 12% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 12% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT |
| Middlebury and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617 11% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3 VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
57.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 3% above VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
— |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.