Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Windham vs Braintree vs Stockbridge
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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Braintree has the most renters (19% rent).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
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 | Windham | Braintree | Stockbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980 |
19,188Highest |
1,026 |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
55.3±5.3 42% 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% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2 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% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Windham 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. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$77,109±$12k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$283,500±$26k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,140±$126 19% below U.S. |
| Windham and Stockbridge 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. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$4,488Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.3%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.6%±12.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stockbridge and Windham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.