Compare towns
Newfane vs Fairlee vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfane has the most kids (11.1% under 18).
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
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 | Newfane | Fairlee | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,456Highest |
54Lowest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.4±3.9 26% above VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
53.3±7.6Lowest 24% above VT |
| Fairlee and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.1%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Newfane and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6 VT: 7% |
| Newfane and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,719±$21k 18% below VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
$72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rochester and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,200±$49kHighest 10% below VT |
$277,500±$28k 12% below VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Newfane and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
$1,057±$620 14% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Newfane and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,174Highest about the VT average |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±79.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
18.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 13% above VT |
— | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 30.8%±12.5 VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.