Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Chester 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Chester has the youngest population (median age 49.7).
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 | Chester | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
2,992Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
49.7±4.7Lowest 15% 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% |
14.1%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Chester 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% |
29.8%±7.9Lowest 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% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Chester 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 |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
$232,900±$44kHighest 26% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Chester 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 |
$960±$44Highest 22% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Chester 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 |
$4,262Highest 15% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Braintree 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% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Chester 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.