Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Gorham 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 homeowners (85.4%).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
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 | Gorham | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
2,682Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
53.9±3.6Lowest 39% 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%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bridgewater and Gorham 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% |
31.7%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Gorham 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Bridgewater 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 U.S. |
$61,275±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kHighest 34% below U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28k 35% below U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Highest 40% below U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$840±$405 41% below U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Braintree 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. |
$4,334Highest 39% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Bridgewater 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 | — | #57 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.