What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).

Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 57.1).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookline	Bridgewater
People
Population	531Lowest	980Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8%	-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT	57.1±8Highest 32% above VT
Kids under 18	20%±6Highest VT: 17.9%	12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Brookline and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4%	30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7%
	Bridgewater and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average	$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT
	Brookline and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT	$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT
	Brookline and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT	$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT
	Brookline and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,000Highest about the VT average	$3,418Lowest 32% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4%	59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4%
	Bridgewater and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	85.4%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT	1976Highest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 21% above VT	24 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Brookline and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.