Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Milton vs Barnard
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 most affordable homes ($218k median).
Milton has the highest household income ($119k).
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
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 | Milton | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
10,769Highest |
1,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.6% VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
41.6±2.5Lowest 3% below VT |
42.4±6 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
16%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Milton 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 |
$118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT |
$97,581±$19k 20% above VT |
| Milton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$372,500±$20k 18% above VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
| Barnard and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,536±$257Highest 24% above VT |
$1,372±$80 11% above VT |
| Milton and Barnard 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 |
$5,610 11% above VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
53.1%±20.6 VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Milton 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% |
3.6% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 18% above VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.6%±2.9 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnard and Milton 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 | — | #56 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Milton School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | — | Milton Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.