Compare towns
Fairlee vs Montgomery vs Windham 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1972).
Montgomery has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Montgomery | Windham | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,066Highest |
1,047 |
594Lowest |
980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
51.5±11.3 19% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
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% |
15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery and Fairlee 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% |
52.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$70,272±$3k 13% below VT |
| Windham 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 |
$323,200±$45k about the VT average |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
| Windham and Montgomery 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 |
$868±$209 30% below VT |
— | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
| Fairlee and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617 11% above VT |
$4,326 14% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Montgomery 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% |
15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | — |
| 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.