Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Dummerston vs Ripton 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).
Dummerston has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Dummerston | Ripton | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980 |
2,090Highest |
508Lowest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% 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%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Ripton 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% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Ripton and Dummerston 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 |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Ripton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
— | $1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Dummerston 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 |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 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% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 minHighest 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.