What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).

Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).

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	Strafford
People
Population	1,066Lowest	1,372Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8%	-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT	51.4±4.7Lowest 19% above VT
	Fairlee and Strafford 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%	23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4%	22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%	53.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7%	5.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 7%
	Fairlee and Strafford 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	$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT	$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT	$1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT
	Strafford and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,617Lowest 11% above VT	$7,149Highest 42% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4%	44.6%±48Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Fairlee and Strafford 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%	5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	88.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 3% above VT	23 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9%	16.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9%
	Strafford 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	Strafford School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.