Compare towns
Braintree vs Bridgewater vs Newfane
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 highest household income ($80k).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
980Lowest |
1,456Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
57.1±8 32% above VT |
54.4±3.9Lowest 26% 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%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bridgewater and Braintree 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% |
29.2%±3.9Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Newfane 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 VT average |
$70,272±$3k 13% below VT |
$66,719±$21kLowest 18% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
$284,200±$49kHighest 10% below VT |
| Newfane and Bridgewater 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 |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
| Newfane 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 |
$5,174Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Newfane 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% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Braintree 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 | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.