Compare towns
Braintree vs Bridgewater vs Hardwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
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).
Hardwick has the most kids (15.8% 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 | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
980Lowest |
2,965Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
57.1±8 32% above VT |
47.1±7.4Lowest 9% 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 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Hardwick 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 VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Lowest 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+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Hardwick 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 VT average |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
| Hardwick 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±$28k 31% below VT |
$218,300±$55kHighest 31% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% 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 | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$850±$778 31% below VT |
$875±$406Highest 29% below VT |
| Hardwick and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 22% below VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,351Highest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Hardwick 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 | — | — | #68 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Hazen Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
| 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.