Compare towns
Mendon vs Fairlee vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the highest household income ($101k).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
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 | Mendon | Fairlee | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113 |
1,066Lowest |
1,466Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Lowest 24% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
| Fairlee and Dover 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% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Dover 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% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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 |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
| Mendon and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
| Mendon and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% 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 | $5,342 6% above VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 minHighest 3% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.