What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mendon has the most kids (14.6% under 18).

Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).

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	Mendon	Fairlee
People
Population	1,113Highest	54Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	53.4±10.5Lowest 24% above VT	63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT
	Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9%	0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Mendon and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4%	37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4%
	Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.4%Highest VT: 43.8%	11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7%
	Mendon and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT	$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT	$277,500±$28kLowest 12% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average	$1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT
	Mendon and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,342Highest 6% above VT	$3,750Lowest 26% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	88.6%±42.7Lowest VT: 48.4%	100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	50%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT	1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 min 28% below VT	—
Work from home	22.5%±8.9Lowest VT: 16.9%	23.5%±30.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.