Compare towns
Sheffield vs West Fairlee vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
West Fairlee has the most expensive homes ($237k median).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).
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 | Sheffield | West Fairlee | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 573 |
711Highest |
470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42±8Lowest about the VT average |
50.3±7.6Highest 17% above VT |
42.4±8.8 about the VT average |
| West Fairlee and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±5.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±9.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| West Fairlee and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
44.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$76,500±$16k 6% below VT |
$84,375±$20kHighest 4% above VT |
| Marshfield and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$237,200±$35kHighest 25% below VT |
$178,300±$31k 44% below VT |
| West Fairlee and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,113±$171 10% below VT |
$1,125±$79Highest 9% below VT |
| Marshfield and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$5,210Highest 3% above VT |
$3,269 35% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
50%±89.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.4%±62.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% VT: 73.2% |
91.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 28% above VT |
28 minLowest 20% above VT |
29 min 24% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±2.7 VT: 16.9% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.5%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Rivendell Interstate School District | — |
| 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.