Compare towns
Fairlee vs Mendon 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).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Mendon | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066 |
1,113Highest |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
53.4±10.5Lowest 24% 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%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon 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% |
29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7 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% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest 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 |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
| Mendon 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 12% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
| Mendon and Fairlee 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 |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7 VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Mendon 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 3% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.