Compare towns
Sheldon vs Fairlee vs Proctor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Fairlee has the most people working from home (23.5%).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
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 | Sheldon | Fairlee | Proctor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,267Highest |
54Lowest |
1,794 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7% VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Proctor and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
| Sheldon and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$277,500±$28kHighest 12% below VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
| Fairlee and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,057±$620 14% below VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
| Sheldon and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,750 26% below VT |
$4,032Highest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1942 34 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% above VT |
— | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Proctor Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| 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.