Compare towns
Fairlee vs Bridgewater vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Fairlee | Bridgewater | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066 |
980Lowest |
1,389Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
53.3±7.6Lowest 24% 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 | 12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest 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 | $74,760±$10kHighest 8% below VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39kHighest 13% below VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Highest 12% below VT |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.