Compare towns
Fairlee vs Bristol vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Bristol has the most kids (24.3% under 18).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Bristol | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
3,273Highest |
1,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
42.7±5.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6 43% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
24.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$78,438±$10k about the U.S. average |
$78,750±$29kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Townshend and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$258,300±$63kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$287,200±$79kHighest 14% below U.S. |
| 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±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,310±$97Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,074±$80Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Bristol and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$4,162Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,364 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend 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 | — | #79 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Newfound Area School District | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | Newfound Regional High School | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
8.1Lowest |
| 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.