Compare towns
Grafton vs Putney vs Windham vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most homeowners (89.9%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Grafton | Putney | Windham | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666 |
2,622Highest |
594Lowest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
| Grafton and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Grafton and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±5 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,111±$7k 6% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$74,760±$10kLowest 8% below VT |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,200±$85k 8% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
| Windham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
— | $1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Grafton and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,843Lowest 4% below VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±69.4 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.8%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Putney 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Athens Grafton School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.