Compare towns
Braintree vs Durham 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%).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Bridgewater has the most homeowners (85.4%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
10,681Highest |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below 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%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±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%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$850±$778 40% below U.S. |
| Durham 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | — |
| High school 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.