What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the most expensive homes ($155k median).

Ludlow has the most kids (22.7% under 18).

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	Ludlow
People
Population	484Highest	444Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.8% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	48.8±8Highest 9% above ME	46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.1%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1%
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4%	12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.8%Highest ME: 36.2%	16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8%	2.7%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,417±$15kHighest 12% below ME	$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$154,900±$78kHighest 48% below ME	$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$768±$116Lowest 33% below ME	$988±$111Highest 13% below ME
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,417Lowest 53% below ME	$1,655Highest 45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.9%±59.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12%Lowest ME: 10.7%	15.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%	90.4%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME	1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minHighest 10% below ME	21 minLowest 15% below ME
Work from home	7.5%±5.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	9.8%±8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Ludlow 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

ME 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.