Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Cavendish vs Whitingham 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%).
Cavendish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.8%).
Whitingham has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
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 | Cavendish | Whitingham | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,242 |
1,368Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% 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% |
18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Whitingham and Cavendish 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% |
23.6%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Whitingham 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% |
39.3% VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Cavendish and Braintree 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 |
$285,100±$40kHighest 10% below VT |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Cavendish and Whitingham 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 |
$1,000±$546Highest 19% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
| Cavendish 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 |
$3,948 22% below VT |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham and Bridgewater 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% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | 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.