Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Fairlee vs Rye 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).
Fairlee has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Rye has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Fairlee | Rye | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,066 |
5,611Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7 44% above U.S. |
55.1±3Lowest 42% 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% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Rye and Bridgewater 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%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3 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% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%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% |
2.2%±1.3 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. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
$7,519Highest 141% 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% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest 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% |
6.9%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% |
85.5%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. |
1972Lowest 8 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. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
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% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye 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 | — | — | #2 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | Rye School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.