What stands out worked out from the figures below

Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).

Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).

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	Andover	Bridgewater
People
Population	616Lowest	980Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-3.5% VT: +2.8%
Median age	49.2±5.1Lowest 14% above VT	57.1±8Highest 32% above VT
	Bridgewater and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9%	12.8%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9%
	Bridgewater and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.7%±4.3Lowest VT: 21.4%	30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Highest VT: 43.8%	40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7%	5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7%
	Bridgewater and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,500±$38kHighest 26% above VT	$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT
	Andover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$382,900±$68kHighest 21% above VT	$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT	$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT
	Andover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,190Highest about the VT average	$3,418Lowest 32% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4%	59.7%±39.1Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Andover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%	85.4%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT	1976Lowest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 7% above VT	24 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Andover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.