Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Andover vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Fairlee has the most renters (19.1% rent).
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 | Bridgewater | Andover | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980 |
616Lowest |
1,066Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
49.2±5.1Lowest 14% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
22.7%±4.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
43.3% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$102,500±$38kHighest 26% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Andover and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$382,900±$68kHighest 21% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Andover and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$5,190 about the VT average |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
69.4%±47.1 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.8% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Andover and Fairlee 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 Our Story | 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.