Compare towns
Ashland vs Bridgewater vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Norwich has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Ashland | Bridgewater | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183 |
1,169Lowest |
3,640Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
58.3±6.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Norwich and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$82,361±$9k about the U.S. average |
$140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$398,600±$65k 20% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,125±$201 20% below U.S. |
$1,460±$322Highest 3% above U.S. |
| Norwich and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 59% above U.S. |
$2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.1%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashland and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #1 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Ashland School District | Newfound Area School District | Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.