Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Townsend vs Braintree vs Newfane
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).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Townsend | Braintree | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
9,100Highest |
1,026 |
1,456 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
54.4±3.9 40% 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% 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% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Townsend 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 U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$66,719±$21kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$284,200±$49k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,266±$238 10% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Newfane 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$5,174 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±79.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Newfane 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% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±12.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfane and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— | — |
| 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.