What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).

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	Dedham
People
Population	28,471Highest	25,237Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+2.6% MA: +7.4%
Median age	37.6±1.6Lowest 6% below MA	44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA
Kids under 18	17.6%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%	18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Dedham 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%	21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	55%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	16.2%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,651±$7kLowest 8% above MA	$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA
	Dedham 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±$23kLowest 5% below MA	$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,092±$177Highest 19% above MA	$2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA
	Bridgewater Town and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,499Lowest 8% above MA	$7,918Highest 32% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±13.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8%
	Dedham 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%	5.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 8% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	12.7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#121 of 282 in MA	#119 of 282 in MA
School district	Bridgewater-Raynham	Dedham
High school in town	Bridgewater-Raynham Regional	Dedham High
Students per teacherat that high school	18.1Highest	10.4Lowest
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.