Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Westminster 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 affordable homes ($218k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Westminster | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
2,999Highest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
53.5±3.7Lowest 24% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster 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% |
27.6%±6.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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 VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest 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 |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$74,760±$10kHighest 8% below VT |
| Fairlee and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$274,200±$39kHighest 13% below VT |
| Fairlee and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,083±$242Highest 12% below VT |
| Fairlee and Westminster 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 |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest 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% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 minHighest 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Fairlee 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.