Compare towns
Fairlee vs Windham vs Newfane 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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Newfane has the most homeowners (87.2%).
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 | Windham | Newfane | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,456 |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
54.4±3.9 40% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Newfane 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% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.9 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% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Windham 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 7% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$66,719±$21kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$284,200±$49k 15% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,266±$238Highest 10% below U.S. |
$929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Newfane and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,174 66% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±79.7 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±12.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | RSU 14 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.