Compare towns
Braintree vs Duxbury 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 oldest population (median age 58.4).
Duxbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Bridgewater has the most homeowners (85.4%).
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 | Duxbury | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
1,548Highest |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
37.5±4.4Lowest 13% 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% |
17.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Duxbury 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 VT: 21.4% |
13%±2.4Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
6.5%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
| Duxbury 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 VT average |
$105,208±$25kHighest 30% above VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
| Duxbury 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 |
$364,600±$27kHighest 15% above VT |
$218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,318±$407Highest 7% above VT |
$850±$778 31% below VT |
| Duxbury and Bridgewater 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 |
$6,564Highest 30% above VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
21.2%±21Lowest 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% |
2.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.4% VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±3.6 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Duxbury 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 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Harwood Union Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.