Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Bennington vs Barnard 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 oldest population (median age 57.1).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Bennington | Barnard | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
15,249Highest |
1,211 |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
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%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3k 13% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Barnard 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±$55k 31% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Bennington 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% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Barnard and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.