The Town FilesFairlee, Vermont
Town in Orange County · population 988 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $274,200
- Household income
- $74,760
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 70 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 56.2
Fairlee is a town of 988 people in Orange County, Vermont. The median home is worth $274,200, close to the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks better for retirees than 93% of Vermont towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Vermont towns, hipper than 81% of Vermont towns.
How Fairlee ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fairlee is worth $274,200, close to the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $74,760, which is more affordable than 46% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,083 a month. 80.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fairlee | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $274,200 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,083 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $74,760 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 80.9% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 11.1% | — |
Who lives in Fairlee
| People | Fairlee | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.2 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.4% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.5% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.7% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.5% | — |
| Work from home | 15.0% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.0% | 89.3% |
Weather in Fairlee
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 4.2°F. About 43.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 69.6 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 183 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairlee since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 11, 1966 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 16, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 24, 1998.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| March 2, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4762: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 7,898 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,315 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Fairlee itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Fairlee
1 public school with 112 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Morey Elementary School | PK-5 | 112 | 14.0 |
Towns near Fairlee
- West Fairlee, VT2.1 mi · 621 people · home $237,200
- Bradford, VT6.1 mi · 907 people · home $226,500
- Thetford, VT6.6 mi · 2,775 people · home $329,500
- Bradford, VT6.6 mi · 2,790 people · home $258,600
- Orford, NH7.7 mi · 1,237 people · home $271,900
- Vershire, VT7.8 mi · 672 people · home $209,100
- Lyme, NH8.2 mi · 1,745 people · home $645,000
- Piermont, NH9.4 mi · 769 people · home $341,600
Fairlee questions
Is Fairlee, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fairlee scores better for retirees than 93% of Vermont towns and quieter than 74%. 33.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.2).
How much does a house cost in Fairlee?
The median owner-occupied home in Fairlee is valued at $274,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,760, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,083 a month.
What is the weather like in Fairlee?
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 4.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.1 inches of precipitation a year and 69.6 inches of snow.
Does Fairlee get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairlee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 11, 1966. The typical Vermont town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)