Compare towns

Townshend vs Cornish vs Windham 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

Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k 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.

MeasureTownshendCornishWindhamFairlee
People
Population
1,538
1,816Highest
594Lowest
1,066
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-1.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
55.6±9.6
43% above U.S.
54±8.3
39% above U.S.
44.2±7.4Lowest
14% above U.S.
56.2±8.7Highest
44% above U.S.
Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
12%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
14.4%±3.2
U.S.: 22%
17.5%±7.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
12.2%±4.2
U.S.: 22%
Windham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.3%±6.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.3%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
23.2%±8.1
U.S.: 17.2%
33.4%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Fairlee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
40.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
48.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
46.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.4%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
1.4%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
0.8%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.3%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$78,750±$29k
about the U.S. average
$91,821±$2k
14% above U.S.
$94,500±$12kHighest
17% above U.S.
$74,760±$10kLowest
7% below U.S.
Windham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$287,200±$79k
14% below U.S.
$296,000±$69k
11% below U.S.
$353,900±$20kHighest
6% above U.S.
$274,200±$39kLowest
18% below U.S.
Windham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,074±$80Lowest
24% below U.S.
$1,221±$227Highest
14% below U.S.
—
$1,083±$242
23% below U.S.
Cornish and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,364Lowest
72% above U.S.
$5,796
86% above U.S.
$5,951Highest
91% above U.S.
$5,617
80% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
72.5%±23.1
U.S.: 51.1%
40.5%±38.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.2%±94
U.S.: 51.1%
89.2%±71.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
9.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
14.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
94.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
80.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1972Lowest
8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
5% below U.S.
24 min
8% below U.S.
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
24 minLowest
8% below U.S.
Work from home
28%±18.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
20.5%±5.6
U.S.: 15.1%
15%±7.9
U.S.: 15.1%
Townshend and Windham 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 #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A Cornish School District — Rivendell Interstate School District
High school in town Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School None in town — None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
8.1
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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.