Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Braintree vs Danby 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Danby has the most kids (14.6% under 18).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Braintree | Danby | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,026 |
1,133Highest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
52.6±4.8Lowest 22% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
| Braintree and Bridgewater 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% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Danby and Bridgewater 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% |
33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Braintree 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% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.8% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.9 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 |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$77,321±$13k 5% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Braintree and Danby 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 |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$272,400±$41k 14% below VT |
$274,200±$39kHighest 13% below VT |
| Fairlee and Danby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 31% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
$794±$166Lowest 36% below VT |
$1,083±$242Highest 12% below VT |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater 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 |
$3,908 22% below VT |
$4,543 10% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
41.4%±34.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater 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% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
89.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 11% above VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Rivendell Interstate 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 | 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.