Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Pomfret vs Braintree vs Fairlee
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%).
Pomfret has the most people working from home (30.3%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Pomfret | Braintree | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980 |
908Lowest |
1,026 |
1,066Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
53.4±12.1Lowest 24% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% 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% |
15.4%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Pomfret 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% |
29.5%±6.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest 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% |
58%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 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 |
$84,229±$8kHighest 4% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Pomfret and Braintree 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 |
$399,200±$144kHighest 26% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Pomfret 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 |
$1,170±$98Highest 5% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Pomfret 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 |
$6,722Highest 33% above VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
24%±22.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest 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% |
5.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1970Lowest 6 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
30.3%±10.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Pomfret and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.