Compare towns
Braintree vs Brookfield vs Sheldon vs Bridgewater
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 renters (19% rent).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Brookfield | Sheldon | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
1,486 |
2,267Highest |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
57.1±8 32% 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% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Brookfield 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% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7 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% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Brookfield 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 |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
| Brookfield 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 31% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
| Brookfield and Sheldon 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 |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$850±$778 31% below VT |
| Sheldon and Brookfield 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 |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,578 29% below VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.