Compare towns
Fairlee vs Wilder vs Orford
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 most people working from home (15%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Orford has the highest household income ($93k).
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 | Wilder | Orford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
3,087Highest |
1,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9Lowest 17% above U.S. |
48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Orford 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% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Orford 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% |
27.3%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Wilder 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% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder 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 7% below U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
$92,571±$24kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Orford and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
$1,263±$686Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Orford and Wilder 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. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$5,836Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairlee and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Rivendell Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.