Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Fairlee vs Glover vs Braintree
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).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Glover has the most kids (22.3% under 18).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Fairlee | Glover | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,066Highest |
1,051 |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
48.4±5.9Lowest 12% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% 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% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.3%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Glover 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.2%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4 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% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.5% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$73,839±$18k 9% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Braintree 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 |
$274,200±$39kHighest 13% below VT |
$264,700±$34k 16% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Fairlee and Glover 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 |
$1,083±$242Highest 12% below VT |
$973±$130 21% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Fairlee and Glover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418 32% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$3,234Lowest 36% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.3%±64.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 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% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min 3% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
16.8%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Glover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| 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.