What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rupert has the most people working from home (18.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rupert	Bridgewater
People
Population	676Lowest	980Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.2%Highest VT: +2.8%	-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	57.8±9.7Highest 34% above VT	57.1±8Lowest 32% above VT
	Rupert and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.9%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9%	12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Rupert and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	42.3%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4%	30.2%±0.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%	40.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7%	5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7%
	Bridgewater and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,229±$36kHighest 9% above VT	$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT
	Rupert and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,500±$63kHighest 14% above VT	$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$850±$778 31% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,594Highest 9% below VT	$3,418Lowest 32% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	20%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4%
	Bridgewater and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	85.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1976Highest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 14% above VT	24 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	18.6%±9.2Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Rupert and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.