Compare towns
Orford vs Eliot vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orford has the most renters (24.5% rent).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
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 | Orford | Eliot | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,295 |
7,146Highest |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3Lowest 26% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,571±$24k 15% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686 11% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,083±$242Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,836Highest 87% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot and Fairlee 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | Rivendell Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.