Compare towns
Fairlee vs Middlebury vs Newfane
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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.
| Measure | Fairlee | Middlebury | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,456 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
54.4±3.9 26% above VT |
| Fairlee and Newfane 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% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest 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% |
29.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$66,719±$21kLowest 18% 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 |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
| Newfane and Middlebury 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 |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,174Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Newfane 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% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane 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 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.