Compare towns
Fairlee vs Warner vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Warner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Warner | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
2,959Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
43.7±4Lowest 12% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Warner 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$94,022±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Warner 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±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$353,100±$22kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,219±$123Highest 14% below U.S. |
$929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Warner and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617 80% above U.S. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.

