Compare towns
Worcester vs Fairlee vs Windham vs Montgomery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most homeowners (85.9%).
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Worcester | Fairlee | Windham | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831 |
54Lowest |
594 |
1,047Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | — | -1.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 9% above VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
51.5±11.3 19% above VT |
| Fairlee and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
52.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1 VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$53,289±$24k 34% below VT |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
$277,500±$28k 12% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$323,200±$45k about the VT average |
| Windham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136 17% below VT |
$1,057±$620Highest 14% below VT |
— | $868±$209Lowest 30% below VT |
| Fairlee and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421 12% below VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,326 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
15.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 22% above VT |
— | 27 minLowest 14% above VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.