Compare towns
Fairlee vs Bridgewater vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Townshend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066 |
980Lowest |
1,538Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
55.6±9.6Lowest 29% 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% |
12%±2.6Lowest 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%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest 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+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest 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±$10k 8% below VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$78,750±$29kHighest 3% below VT |
| Townshend and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$287,200±$79kHighest 9% below VT |
| Townshend and Fairlee 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 |
$1,074±$80 13% below VT |
| Fairlee and Townshend 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 |
$5,364 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend 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 | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
| 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.