Compare towns
Windham vs Waterville vs Fair Haven
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 most people working from home (20.5%).
Waterville has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k 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.
| Measure | Windham | Waterville | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
680 |
2,724Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
| Waterville and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Fair Haven 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 |
$71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
| Windham and Waterville 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 |
$236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,110±$93Highest 10% below VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,957 21% below VT |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fair Haven and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 14% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| 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.