Compare towns

Fairlee vs Newfields vs Townshend

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 the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).

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.

MeasureFairleeNewfieldsTownshend
People
Population
1,066Lowest
2,023Highest
1,538
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
56.2±8.7Highest
44% above U.S.
44.1±1.8Lowest
13% above U.S.
55.6±9.6
43% above U.S.
Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
12.2%±4.2
U.S.: 22%
18.9%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
12%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
33.4%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
13.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.3%±6.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
46.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
68.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
52.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.3%±3.7
U.S.: 6.4%
7.5%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.4%±0.8Lowest
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.
$78,750±$29k
about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$274,200±$39kLowest
18% below U.S.
$646,400±$34kHighest
94% above U.S.
$287,200±$79k
14% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,083±$242
23% below U.S.
$1,875±$323Highest
33% above U.S.
$1,074±$80Lowest
24% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,617
80% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$5,364Lowest
72% 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%
72.5%±23.1
U.S.: 51.1%
Fairlee and Townshend 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%
8.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
95.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1972Lowest
8 yrs older than U.S.
1991Highest
11 yrs newer than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minLowest
8% below U.S.
26 minHighest
about the U.S. average
25 min
5% below U.S.
Work from home
15%±7.9Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
25.5%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
28%±18.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Townshend and Newfields 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 West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A
High school in town None in town None in town Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
8.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.