Compare towns
Fairlee vs Stowe vs Bradford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Bradford has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Stowe | Bradford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
5,285Highest |
2,827 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
46.3±7.6 7% above VT |
42.7±3.1Lowest about the VT average |
| Fairlee and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.1%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±5.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.7%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Stowe 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 8% below VT |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
$108,162±$15kHighest 33% above VT |
| Bradford and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$258,600±$30kLowest 18% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
$1,221±$808 about the VT average |
| Stowe and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617 11% above VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$4,472Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
27.9%±23.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
25 minHighest 4% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.7%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #45 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Stowe Town School District | Oxbow Unified Union School District #91 |
| High school in town | None in town | Stowe High School | Oxbow Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.