Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Windham vs Braintree
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 (+16.4%).
Braintree has the most renters (19% rent).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
16,038Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest 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% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Windham 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Windham School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.