Compare towns
Braintree vs Cornish 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 people working from home (19%).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
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 | Cornish | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
1,816Highest |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
54±8.3Lowest 39% above U.S. |
57.1±8 47% 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% |
14.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Cornish 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% |
27.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±0.7 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8Highest 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±$5k about the U.S. average |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
| Cornish 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. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$850±$778 40% below U.S. |
| Cornish 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. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%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. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Cornish 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 | Cornish School District | — |
| High school in town | None 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.