Compare towns
West Fairlee vs Salisbury vs Mendon
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 affordable homes ($237k median).
Salisbury has the most kids (16.6% under 18).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
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 | West Fairlee | Salisbury | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 711Lowest |
1,200Highest |
1,113 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±7.6Lowest 17% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
| Mendon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±5.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Mendon 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury 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% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Mendon and West 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±$16kLowest 6% below VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
| Mendon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $237,200±$35kLowest 25% below VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
| Mendon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$171Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
| Salisbury and Mendon 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 |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±89.6 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
19 min 20% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 5.5%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None 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.