What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater Town has the most expensive homes ($533k median).

Ashburnham has the most kids (22.6% 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 Town	Ashburnham
People
Population	28,471Highest	6,415Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+3.8% MA: +7.4%
Median age	37.6±1.6Lowest 6% below MA	40.7±6.3Highest about the MA average
	Ashburnham and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.6%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Ashburnham and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	18.1%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Ashburnham and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	44%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	16.2%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,651±$7kLowest 8% above MA	$118,809±$11kHighest 14% above MA
	Ashburnham and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,100±$23kHighest 5% below MA	$390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,092±$177Highest 19% above MA	$1,807±$1kLowest about the MA average
	Bridgewater Town and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,499Highest 8% above MA	$6,046Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±13.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	100%±100Highest MA: 51.8%
	Ashburnham and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%	6.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	96%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 8% above MA	32 minHighest 10% above MA
Work from home	12.7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6%
	Ashburnham and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#121 of 282 in MA	#178 of 282 in MA
School district	Bridgewater-Raynham	Ashburnham-Westminster
High school in town	Bridgewater-Raynham Regional	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	18.1	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA 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.