Compare towns
Fairlee vs Whiting vs Windham
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 oldest population (median age 56.2).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Whiting | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Highest |
532Lowest |
594 |
| 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 |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Fairlee and Windham 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% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Windham 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% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Windham 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% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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±$38k 12% above VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Whiting 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±$36k 11% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| 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 | $5,617 11% above VT |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | 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 | 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.