Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Fairlee vs Ogunquit 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 most kids (12.8% under 18).
Fairlee has the youngest population (median age 56.2).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Fairlee | Ogunquit | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,066 |
1,379Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Lowest 44% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4 50% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bridgewater and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Fairlee 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% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%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% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 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. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Ogunquit 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 34% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242Highest 23% below U.S. |
— | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater 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. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | 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 |
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.