Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Fairlee vs Orange
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).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Orange has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,066 |
7,573Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7 44% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% 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% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$3k 13% below U.S. |
$74,760±$10kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242Highest 23% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| 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 10% above U.S. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater 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 | — | — | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.