Compare towns
Fairlee vs Stratton vs Williston
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 affordable homes ($274k median).
Stratton has the most kids (28% under 18).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066 |
532Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Fairlee and Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Fairlee 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 |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Stratton and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
$400,000±$50k 26% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,208±$979 about the VT average |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston 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 |
$4,750Lowest 6% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Williston 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% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1988 12 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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.