Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Strafford vs Fairlee vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Strafford | Fairlee | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,372Highest |
1,066 |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
51.4±4.7Lowest 19% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above 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% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest 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% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 31% below VT |
$1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Strafford 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 |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min 3% above VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Strafford School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | 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 | 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.