Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Sheffield 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).
Sheffield has the most kids (17.1% under 18).
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 | Sheffield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980 |
573Lowest |
1,026Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
42±8Lowest 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% |
17.1%±6.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheffield 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield 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±$3k 13% below VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kHighest 31% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
| Bridgewater and Braintree 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 |
$967±$79Highest 22% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Sheffield and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418 32% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$3,908Highest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield 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 VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | 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 |
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.