Compare towns
Fairlee vs Gorham vs Bridgewater
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 most renters (19.1% rent).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Gorham | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066 |
18,300Highest |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 44% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
57.1±8Highest 47% 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 | 12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±0.7 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+ | 46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
| Gorham 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. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1 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 | 14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gorham 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.