Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Springfield vs Braintree vs Fairlee
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).
Springfield has the most expensive homes ($384k median).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Springfield | Braintree | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,122Highest |
1,026 |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8Lowest 32% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7 44% 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% |
15.1%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield 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% |
19.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee 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. |
$100,893±$19kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
| Springfield 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. |
$384,100±$50kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,096±$217Highest 22% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
| Springfield and Fairlee 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. |
$5,946Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.