Compare towns
Fairlee vs Wardsboro vs Mendon
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 renters (19.1% rent).
Wardsboro has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066 |
820Lowest |
1,113Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
51.6±7.3Lowest 20% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Wardsboro and Mendon 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%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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 |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
| Mendon 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±$47k 5% below VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
| Mendon and Wardsboro 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±$224Highest 20% above VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
| Wardsboro and Mendon 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 |
$5,342 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon 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.