Compare towns
Bridgewater Town vs Needham vs Bellingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater Town has the most renters (24.4% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Bellingham has the most affordable homes ($451k 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 Town | Needham | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,471 |
32,459Highest |
17,410Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±1.6Lowest 6% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
38.2±1.5 4% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.1%±3.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 16.2%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,651±$7kLowest 8% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$125,307±$10k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $533,100±$23k 5% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,092±$177 19% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,836±$196Lowest 4% above MA |
| Needham and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,499 8% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,030Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±13.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #121 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bridgewater-Raynham | — | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Bridgewater-Raynham Regional | — | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.1Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.