Compare towns
Barton vs Braintree vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Barton | Braintree | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730Lowest |
1,026Highest |
980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
57.1±8 32% above VT |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.9% VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$70,272±$3k 13% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$218,300±$55kHighest 31% below VT |
| Bridgewater and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
$850±$778Highest 31% below VT |
| Bridgewater and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,908Highest 22% below VT |
$3,418 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Barton 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.