Compare towns
Braintree vs Jay vs Roxbury 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 highest household income ($80k).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Roxbury has the most kids (30.6% under 18).
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 | Jay | Roxbury | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Highest |
471Lowest |
942 |
980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
35.6±11.7Lowest 17% 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% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
30.6%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
18.7%±8.1 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% VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$73,214±$22k 10% below VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
| Braintree and Jay 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 |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$242,600±$55kHighest 23% below VT |
$218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
| Roxbury and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
— | $950±$495Highest 23% below VT |
$850±$778 31% below VT |
| Roxbury 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 |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$4,284Highest 15% below VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
16.7%±100Lowest 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% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
27.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94% VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±3.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Braintree 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 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary 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 |
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.