Compare towns
West Fairlee vs Bennington vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Fairlee has the most homeowners (91.9%).
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | West Fairlee | Bennington | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 711Lowest |
15,249Highest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±7.6 17% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
| Fairlee and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.6% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,500±$16kHighest 6% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| West Fairlee and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $237,200±$35k 25% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$274,200±$39kHighest 13% below VT |
| Fairlee and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$171 10% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
| Bennington and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,210 3% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±89.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 5.5%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| 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.