Compare towns
Braintree vs Charleston vs Ogunquit vs Bridgewater
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Charleston | Ogunquit | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
936Lowest |
1,379Highest |
980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4 50% above U.S. |
58.4±9.3 50% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
57.1±8Lowest 47% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bridgewater and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
37.7%±8.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Charleston 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% |
13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Ogunquit 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 |
$49,286±$17kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$70,272±$3k 13% below U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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 35% below U.S. |
$238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$979±$444Highest 31% below U.S. |
— | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
| Charleston 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. |
$3,750 20% above U.S. |
$4,473Highest 43% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±26.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1Highest 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% |
12.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Charleston School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.