Compare towns
Braintree vs Bedford vs Stockbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
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 | Braintree | Bedford | Stockbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
23,746Highest |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
55.3±5.3 42% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bedford and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$77,109±$12kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$283,500±$26k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,140±$126 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,488 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.3%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.6%±12.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stockbridge and Bedford 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 | — | #7 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Bedford School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bedford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.