What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the most people working from home (10.5%).

Carroll has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).

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	Carroll
People
Population	980Highest	659Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	57.1±8Lowest 47% above U.S.	62.4±4.8Highest 60% above U.S.
	Carroll and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22%	7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bridgewater and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	39.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bridgewater and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,272±$3kHighest 13% below U.S.	$64,821±$26kLowest 20% below U.S.
	Bridgewater and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S.	$261,500±$42kHighest 21% below U.S.
	Carroll and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S.	$1,078±$241Highest 24% below U.S.
	Carroll and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,418Highest 10% above U.S.	$3,356Lowest 8% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	28%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bridgewater and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 9% below U.S.	22 minLowest 18% below U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	4.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bridgewater and Carroll 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

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.