Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Plainfield vs Newfane 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).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
Fairlee has the most renters (19.1% rent).
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 | Plainfield | Newfane | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
2,522Highest |
1,456 |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.4±3.9 40% 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.9 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% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$66,719±$21kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$284,200±$49k 15% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,266±$238 10% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Newfane 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. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,174 66% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±79.7 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±12.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfane and Plainfield 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| 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 |
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.