Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Ripton vs Windham vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Windham | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980 |
508Lowest |
594 |
1,026Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham 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 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Ripton 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Highest 31% below VT |
— | — | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Bridgewater and Braintree 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Ripton 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% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | 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 | 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.