Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Castleton vs Springfield 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%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Springfield has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Castleton | Springfield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
4,453 |
9,084Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
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% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Springfield 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% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3k 13% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Braintree and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
$224,800±$71kHighest 29% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
| Castleton 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 |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Castleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418 32% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Springfield 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Springfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
— |
| 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.