Compare towns
Braintree vs Dunstable vs Brookfield 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).
Dunstable has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Dunstable | Brookfield | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
3,408Highest |
1,486 |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
41.5±2.4Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% 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% |
22.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 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% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Bridgewater 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 |
$208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,325±$637Highest 6% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$850±$778 40% below U.S. |
| Dunstable and Brookfield 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. |
$9,020Highest 189% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Bridgewater 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% |
0.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Dunstable 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 | — | #4 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Groton-Dunstable | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| 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 |
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.