Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Dover vs Mendon 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Mendon has the highest household income ($101k).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Dover | Mendon | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,466Highest |
1,113 |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
53.4±10.5Lowest 24% 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% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon 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% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Lowest 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% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Mendon 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 |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Mendon 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 |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Mendon and Dover 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 |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon 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% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
22 min 6% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| 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.