What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairlee has the most people working from home (15%).

Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Fairlee	Whiting
People
Population	1,066Highest	532Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT	39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT
Kids under 18	12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9%	23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4%	13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Highest VT: 43.8%	25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 7%	6.2%±4Highest VT: 7%
	Whiting 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	$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT
	Whiting 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	$280,400±$36kHighest 11% below VT
	Whiting and Fairlee 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	$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average
	Whiting and Fairlee 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	$4,227Lowest 16% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4%	58.3%±37.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Fairlee and Whiting 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%	11.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT	1975Highest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 3% above VT	22 minLowest 7% below VT
Work from home	15%±7.9Highest VT: 16.9%	10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Fairlee and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Rivendell Interstate School District	Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.