Compare towns
Braintree vs Windham vs Ripton 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).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Windham | Ripton | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Highest |
594 |
508Lowest |
980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2 11% 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% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 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% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
40.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
— | — | $850±$778Highest 31% below VT |
| Bridgewater and Braintree 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 |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Ripton 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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.