What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the most people working from home (7.5%).

Starks has grown the fastest since 2010 (-7.3%).

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	Starks
People
Population	484Lowest	556Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-7.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48.8±8Highest 9% above ME	46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME
	Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.1%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%	16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Bridgewater and Starks 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%	20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	21%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8%	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Bridgewater and Starks 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	$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME
	Bridgewater and Starks 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	$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME
	Bridgewater and Starks 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	$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME
	Starks and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,417Highest 53% below ME	$1,348Lowest 56% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.9%±59.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Starks 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%	19.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%	90%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 10% below ME	33 minHighest 33% above ME
Work from home	7.5%±5.1Highest ME: 15.9%	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bridgewater and Starks 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

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.