Compare towns
Wardsboro vs Fairlee vs Stratton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
Fairlee has the most people working from home (23.5%).
Stratton has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Wardsboro | Fairlee | Stratton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 820Highest |
54Lowest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
| Fairlee and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9 VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Stratton and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,000±$6k 24% below VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
$277,500±$28kLowest 12% below VT |
$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
$1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,208±$979 about the VT average |
| Wardsboro and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,345 14% below VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$4,750Highest 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 14% above VT |
— | 33 minHighest 39% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.