Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Webster vs Stockbridge
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 has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
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.
| Measure | Bridgewater | Webster | Stockbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980 |
2,227Highest |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
55.3±5.3 42% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Webster 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 U.S. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$77,109±$12k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30kHighest about the U.S. average |
$283,500±$26k 15% below U.S. |
| Webster and Stockbridge 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. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,140±$126 19% below U.S. |
| Webster and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,488 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.3%±22Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Webster 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% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.6%±12.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stockbridge and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Merrimack Valley School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.