Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Fairlee vs Norwich
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).
Fairlee has the oldest housing (typical home built 1972).
Norwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
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 | Fairlee | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,066 |
3,640Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% below 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% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
16%±3.4Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
81%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4Lowest 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 |
$140,313±$12kHighest 73% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$637,500±$76kHighest 101% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
$1,460±$322Highest 18% above VT |
| Norwich 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 |
$5,617 11% above VT |
$10,000+Highest at least 98% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest 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% |
2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
71.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
24 minHighest 3% above VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
21%±5.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Norwich 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 | — | — | #1 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | Norwich School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.