Compare towns
Fairlee vs Brookline vs Ripton vs Bridgewater
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).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Brookline | Ripton | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,066Highest |
531 |
508Lowest |
980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% 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% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Bridgewater 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% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Ripton 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% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 12% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
— | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1 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 | 14.7% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.