What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the most kids (12.8% under 18).

Waitsfield has the most people working from home (31%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bridgewater	Waitsfield
People
Population	980Highest	193Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.5% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	57.1±8Lowest 32% above VT	74.8±13.4Highest 74% above VT
	Waitsfield and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.8%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9%	0%±14.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Bridgewater and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.2%±0.7Lowest VT: 21.4%	71.5%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	71.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7%	5.2%±9.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Bridgewater and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,272±$3kHighest 13% below VT	$26,384±$5kLowest 68% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT	$453,100±$98kHighest 43% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$850±$778 31% below VT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,418Lowest 32% below VT	$4,688Highest 7% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4%	41.1%±49.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Bridgewater and Waitsfield 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%	3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.4%Highest VT: 73.2%	33.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest same as VT	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the VT average	14 minLowest 40% below VT
Work from home	10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%	31%±23.9Highest VT: 16.9%
	Waitsfield and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
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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.