Compare towns
Fairlee vs Townshend 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).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Townshend | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
1,538 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
55.6±9.6 29% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
| Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston 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 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest 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 |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Townshend 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 |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 12% below VT |
$1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$5,364Lowest 6% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Townshend 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% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Williston 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.1 |
— |
| 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.