Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Fairlee vs Putney 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 most homeowners (85.4%).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
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 | Putney | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,066 |
2,622Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below 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% |
15.4%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Putney 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Braintree and Putney 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±$39k 13% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Putney and Fairlee 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 |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
| 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 32% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$5,313 5% above 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% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
24 min 3% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Putney 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 | — | — | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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 | 6 photos → | 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.