Compare towns
Fairlee vs Rumney 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 the shortest commute (24 min average).
Rumney has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
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 | Rumney | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
1,458Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
44.5±2.3Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Rochester 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% |
18.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Rumney and Fairlee 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% |
24.1%±3.7Lowest 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% |
41.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Rumney 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. |
$79,444±$21kHighest about the U.S. average |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Rumney 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. |
$309,800±$37kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rumney and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Highest 23% below U.S. |
$1,064±$100 25% below U.S. |
$929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Rumney 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. |
$4,716 51% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.1%±21.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Rochester 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% |
10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±7Lowest 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 | Rumney School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.