Compare towns
Braintree vs Ripton vs Mendon 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 most renters (19% rent).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 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 | Ripton | Mendon | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
508Lowest |
1,113Highest |
980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above 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%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon 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% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Ripton 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
| Ripton and Mendon 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
| Ripton and Mendon 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 |
— | $1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$850±$778 31% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Bridgewater 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| 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.