Compare towns
Braintree vs Bridgewater vs Colrain
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 people working from home (19%).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Colrain has the most expensive homes ($284k 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 | Braintree | Bridgewater | Colrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
980Lowest |
1,627Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Colrain and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Colrain 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% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Colrain 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 |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$80,673±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Colrain and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14kHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,317Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.