Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Putney vs Westminster 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Putney | Westminster | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
2,622 |
2,999Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7 24% 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% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Putney 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 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% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Braintree and Putney 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 |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Putney and Westminster 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 |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$916±$126Highest 26% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
| Westminster and Bridgewater 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 |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.8% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Braintree 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.