Compare towns
Fairlee vs Middlefield vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Middlefield | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066 |
352Lowest |
1,389Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 44% above U.S. |
56.9±3.7Highest 46% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Middlefield 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 U.S.: 22% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.7%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±4.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$103,750±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Middlefield 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±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$332,800±$48kHighest about the U.S. average |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Middlefield and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$2,625±$1kHighest 86% above U.S. |
$929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Middlefield and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$4,926 58% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlefield and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.2%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester 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 | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.