Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Windham 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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Windham | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% 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% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest 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% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest 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±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
| Windham and Fairlee 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. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.