Compare towns
Fairlee vs Orford vs Sugar Hill
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Orford has the youngest population (median age 48.9).
Sugar Hill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.9%).
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 | Orford | Sugar Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066 |
1,295Highest |
658Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 44% above U.S. |
48.9±3.3Lowest 26% above U.S. |
60.8±2.1Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Sugar Hill and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orford and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
37.2%±12.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sugar Hill and Fairlee 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% |
44%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Orford 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. |
$92,571±$24k 15% above U.S. |
$154,091±$32kHighest 91% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$639,700±$50kHighest 92% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,263±$686Highest 11% below U.S. |
$1,208±$630 15% below U.S. |
| Orford and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Lowest 80% above U.S. |
$5,836 87% above U.S. |
$7,340Highest 135% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Sugar Hill 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% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sugar Hill 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 | Rivendell Interstate School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Rivendell Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5 |
— |
| 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.