What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the highest household income ($159k).

Lyme has the most people working from home (27.6%).

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.

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

Measure	Bridgewater	Lyme
People
Population	1,658Lowest	2,303Highest
Median age	55.9±4.4Highest 36% above CT	55.6±3.3Lowest 35% above CT
	Bridgewater and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.4%±2.9Highest CT: 20.2%	13.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Bridgewater and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	37%±6.6Highest CT: 18.5%	30.7%±4.5Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Bridgewater and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.3%Lowest CT: 42.5%	63.5%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.8%±5.3Highest CT: 7.1%	2.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bridgewater and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$159,365±$5kHighest 66% above CT	$135,000±$22kLowest 41% above CT
	Bridgewater and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$693,000±$75kHighest 89% above CT	$629,900±$105kLowest 72% above CT
	Bridgewater and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$233Lowest about the CT average	$1,719±$1kHighest 16% above CT
	Lyme and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,869Lowest 3% above CT	$7,328Highest 10% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.8%±43Highest CT: 52.6%	32.9%±44.3Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Bridgewater and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3%Highest CT: 10%	2.9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.1%Highest CT: 66.5%	90.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 8 yrs newer than CT	1967Lowest same as CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 11% above CT	31 minHighest 17% above CT
Work from home	25.2%±5Lowest CT: 16%	27.6%±10Highest CT: 16%
	Lyme and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Regional School District 12	Regional School District 18
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT 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.