Compare towns
Windham vs Plainfield vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
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 | Windham | Plainfield | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,314Highest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
| Fairlee and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Windham and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
| Plainfield and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.