Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Starks vs Westfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most expensive homes ($155k median).
Starks has grown the fastest since 2010 (-7.3%).
Westfield has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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.
| Measure | Bridgewater | Starks | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 484 |
556Highest |
389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-17.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±8Highest 9% above ME |
46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME |
47.5±5 6% above ME |
| Bridgewater and Westfield 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%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
8.7%±4.5Lowest 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% |
27.2%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bridgewater and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8% ME: 36.2% |
21%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
0%±4Lowest 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±$8k 15% below ME |
$52,917±$17kLowest 29% 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±$27k 50% below ME |
$134,400±$61kLowest 55% 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 |
$950±$175 17% below ME |
| Starks and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,417 53% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,550Highest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 10% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±31.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Westfield 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 | 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.