Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Jay vs Sandgate 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Jay has the most kids (14.2% under 18).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Braintree has the highest household income ($80k).
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 | Jay | Sandgate | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980 |
471 |
435Lowest |
1,026Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
52.1±10.5Lowest 21% above VT |
55.7±5.4 29% 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% |
14.2%±7.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Jay and Sandgate 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% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 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% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Sandgate 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 |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Braintree and Jay 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 |
$234,200±$45kHighest 26% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
| Jay and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Highest 31% below VT |
— | — | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Bridgewater and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418 32% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$3,908Highest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary 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 |
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.