Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Sheldon vs Troy 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).
Sheldon has the most expensive homes ($272k median).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Sheldon | Troy | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
2,267Highest |
1,749 |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
44.5±5.7 3% 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.4%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Troy 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
17.7%±3 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% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
20.2% VT: 43.8% |
30.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Troy 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 |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$87,938±$11kHighest 8% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Troy 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 31% below VT |
$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT |
$233,200±$21k 26% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Sheldon and Troy 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 |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$646±$323Lowest 48% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
| Sheldon 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 |
$3,578 29% below VT |
$3,644 28% below VT |
$3,908Highest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.8%±26.3 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Braintree 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.6% VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 7% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Troy School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.