Compare towns
Fairlee vs Wardsboro vs Brookline
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Wardsboro | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Highest |
820 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% 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% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline 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% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest 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% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Brookline 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 |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
| Brookline and Fairlee 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 |
$299,300±$47kHighest 5% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Wardsboro and Brookline 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 |
$1,479±$224 20% above VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Wardsboro 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 |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest 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% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.