Compare towns
Fairlee vs Stratton vs Wardsboro
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 most people working from home (15%).
Stratton has the highest household income ($123k).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Stratton | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Highest |
532Lowest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
| Fairlee and Wardsboro 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% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Wardsboro 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% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8 VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Stratton 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 8% below VT |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,208±$979 about the VT average |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Wardsboro 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% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.