What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).

Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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.

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

Measure	Fairlee	Middlebury
People
Population	1,066Lowest	9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT	31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT
Kids under 18	12.2%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9%	11.6%±1.9Lowest 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%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4%	20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%	55.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 7%	32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,760±$10kLowest 8% below VT	$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above 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	$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT	$1,156±$113Highest 6% 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	$5,617Lowest 11% above VT	$6,868Highest 36% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4%	50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Fairlee and Middlebury 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%	10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT	1976Highest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 3% above VT	16 minLowest 33% below VT
Work from home	15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9%	18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9%
	Middlebury and Fairlee 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	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	None in town	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.6
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.