Compare towns
Bridgewater Town vs Halifax vs Preston
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 Town has the most renters (24.4% rent).
Halifax has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 Town | Halifax | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,471Highest |
7,748 |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.6±1.6Lowest 3% below U.S. |
41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Preston and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 16.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,651±$7kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$118,556±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Halifax and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $533,100±$23kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$481,500±$51k 45% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater Town and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,092±$177Highest 48% above U.S. |
$1,804±$375 28% above U.S. |
$1,433±$1kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Bridgewater Town and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,499 108% above U.S. |
$6,840Highest 119% above U.S. |
$4,749Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater Town and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 19% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bridgewater-Raynham | Halifax | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Bridgewater-Raynham Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.1 |
— | — |
| 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.