What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).

Newfields has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).

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	Newfields
People
Population	1,066Lowest	2,023Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S.	44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S.
Kids under 18	12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Newfields and Fairlee 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 7% below U.S.	$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$274,200±$39kLowest 18% below U.S.	$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,083±$242Lowest 23% below U.S.	$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,617Lowest 80% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Fairlee and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Newfields 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	Newfields School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.