Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Exeter vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Fairlee has the oldest housing (typical home built 1972).
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 | Exeter | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7 44% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bridgewater 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 U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Fairlee 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.