Compare towns
Braintree vs Keene 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%).
Keene has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
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 | Keene | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
22,939Highest |
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. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% 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%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Keene 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% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest 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% |
44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the U.S. average |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Braintree and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12kHighest 24% below U.S. |
$218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
| Keene 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. |
$1,342±$68Highest 5% below U.S. |
$850±$778 40% below U.S. |
| Keene 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. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Keene 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% |
10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 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%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Keene 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 | — | #81 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Keene School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.