Compare towns
Braintree vs Bridgewater vs Exeter
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).
Exeter has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
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 | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Highest |
980 |
913Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
51.7±12.6Lowest 33% 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% |
22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter 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% |
26.9%±10.5Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater 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±$5kHighest about the U.S. average |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
| Braintree and Exeter 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. |
$243,000±$89kHighest 27% below U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$867±$44Highest 39% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Highest 25% above U.S. |
$3,418 10% above U.S. |
$2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Braintree 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Exeter 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.