Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Epping vs Fairlee vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Fairlee has the oldest housing (typical home built 1972).
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 | Epping | Fairlee | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
7,430Highest |
1,066 |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7 44% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee 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 U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Epping and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Braintree 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.