Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Mapleton vs Washburn 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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k 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 | Mapleton | Washburn | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,355 |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.2±7.7 24% 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
26%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Mapleton 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. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$56,196±$6kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Mapleton 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±$55kHighest 34% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$112,900±$14kLowest 66% 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. |
$610±$277 57% below U.S. |
$482±$62Lowest 66% 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 | $3,418 10% above U.S. |
$1,789 43% below U.S. |
$1,571Lowest 50% below U.S. |
$3,908Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±24.7 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% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 45/MSAD 45 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Washburn District High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.0 |
— |
| 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.