Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Middlesex vs Calais 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).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Braintree has the most renters (19% rent).
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 | Middlesex | Calais | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,943Highest |
1,713 |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
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% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 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% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais 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±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Calais and Middlesex 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 |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Calais and Middlesex 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 |
$6,483 29% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Calais 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 17% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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 Our Story | 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.