Compare towns
Fairlee vs Norton 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 expensive homes ($274k median).
Norton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 57.1).
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 | Norton | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Highest |
108Lowest |
980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
53.8±6.7Lowest 25% 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% |
13%±21.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Norton 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% |
31.5%±15.8 VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Norton 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 VT: 43.8% |
28.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
4.6%±10.7Lowest 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±$10kHighest 8% below VT |
$65,625±$23kLowest 19% below VT |
$70,272±$3k 13% below VT |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39kHighest 13% below VT |
$200,000±$32kLowest 37% below VT |
$218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater 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 |
— | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater 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 |
$2,769Lowest 45% below VT |
$3,418 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
— | 59.7%±39.1Lowest 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% |
13%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% above VT |
39 minHighest 68% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
25.5%±18Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Norton 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.