Compare towns
Braintree vs Bridgewater vs Epping
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 renters (19% rent).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Braintree | Bridgewater | Epping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
980Lowest |
7,430Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% 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% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Epping 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%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% 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% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Epping 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. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Epping 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Bridgewater 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Braintree 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 | — | — | #77 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Epping School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Epping High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3 |
| 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.