Compare towns
Braintree vs Waltham vs Stockbridge
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 affordable homes ($218k median).
Waltham has the highest household income ($98k).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
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 | Waltham | Stockbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Highest |
452Lowest |
791 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4 35% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
55.3±5.3Lowest 28% above VT |
| Waltham and Braintree 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% |
12.8%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Waltham and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.9%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waltham and Braintree 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 |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
$77,109±$12kLowest 5% below VT |
| Waltham 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 |
$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT |
$283,500±$26k 10% below VT |
| Waltham and Stockbridge 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 |
$1,096±$113 11% below VT |
$1,140±$126Highest 8% below VT |
| Stockbridge and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,714Highest 13% above VT |
$4,488 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.3%±22Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Stockbridge and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
28.6%±12.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Stockbridge and Waltham 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 | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.