Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Brattleboro vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most homeowners (85.4%).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Braintree has the highest household income ($80k).
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 | Bridgewater | Brattleboro | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
12,122Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
45.6±4.5Lowest 6% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% 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 | 12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest 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+ | 40.3% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3k 13% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
$257,300±$18kHighest 19% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 31% below VT |
$1,074±$58Highest 13% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Brattleboro 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.