Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Ludlow vs Newfane vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the most renters (48.6% rent).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Ludlow | Newfane | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980 |
808Lowest |
1,456Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
48.7±5.6Lowest 13% above VT |
54.4±3.9 26% 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% |
13.1%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Ludlow 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 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±0.5 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Ludlow 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% |
39.3% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Ludlow 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 |
$56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT |
$66,719±$21k 18% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
$304,000±$32kHighest 4% below VT |
$284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Ludlow and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 31% below VT |
$1,018±$91 18% below VT |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Newfane and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,237 16% below VT |
$5,174Highest about the VT average |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
33%±13.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Newfane 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% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
21 minLowest 10% below VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±6.4 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | 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.