Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Stockbridge vs Waltham
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 most affordable homes ($218k median).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
Waltham has the highest household income ($98k).
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 | Stockbridge | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Highest |
791 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 57.1±8 32% above VT |
55.3±5.3Lowest 28% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Waltham and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
27.9%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Waltham 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 |
$77,109±$12k 5% below VT |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
| Waltham and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$283,500±$26k 10% below VT |
$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT |
| Waltham and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,140±$126Highest 8% below VT |
$1,096±$113 11% below VT |
| Stockbridge and Waltham 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 |
$4,488 11% below VT |
$5,714Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
53.3%±22 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge 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% |
3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
85%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 17% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.6%±12.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Stockbridge and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — |
| High school 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.