Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Ossipee 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Ossipee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
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 | Ossipee | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
4,521Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
50±4.6Lowest 29% 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% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ossipee 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.3%±5.9Lowest 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% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Ossipee 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 U.S. |
$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Ossipee 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±$55k 34% below U.S. |
$325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,401Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Bridgewater 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% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Bridgewater 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 | — | #100 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Governor Wentworth Regional 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 |
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.