What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).

Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).

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	Andover
People
Population	980Highest	616Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.5% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	57.1±8Highest 32% above VT	49.2±5.1Lowest 14% above VT
	Bridgewater and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.8%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9%	11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Bridgewater and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4%	22.7%±4.3Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	43.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7%	2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7%
	Bridgewater and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT	$102,500±$38kHighest 26% above VT
	Andover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT	$382,900±$68kHighest 21% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT	$1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT
	Andover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,418Lowest 32% below VT	$5,190Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.7%±39.1Lowest VT: 48.4%	69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4%
	Andover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.4%Highest VT: 73.2%	82.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest same as VT	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the VT average	25 minHighest 7% above VT
Work from home	10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%	29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9%
	Andover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

VT 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.