What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlebury has the most kids (8.5% under 18).

Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 63.5).

Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Middlebury	Fairlee
People
Population	7,220Highest	54Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.9% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT	63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT
Kids under 18	8.5%±1.7Highest VT: 17.9%	0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Middlebury and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%	37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4%
	Fairlee and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	61.9%Highest VT: 43.8%	11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7%	0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,250±$18kHighest 6% above VT	$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT	$277,500±$28kLowest 12% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average	$1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT
	Middlebury and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,795Highest 35% above VT	$3,750Lowest 26% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.6%±15.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Fairlee and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	50%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%	57.5%Highest 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	15 min 38% below VT	—
Work from home	19.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	23.5%±30.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Fairlee and Middlebury 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	#17 of 70 in VT	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.