Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Danvers vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k 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.
| Measure | Bridgewater | Danvers | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
28,098Highest |
2,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danvers and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,361±$9k about the U.S. average |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,600±$65k 20% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$201 20% below U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,961 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Danvers and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #91 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | — | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.