Compare towns
Halifax vs Ayer vs Bridgewater Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Bridgewater Town has the most expensive homes ($533k 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 | Halifax | Ayer | Bridgewater Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748Lowest |
8,645 |
28,471Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7Highest 5% above MA |
39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
37.6±1.6Lowest 6% below MA |
| Halifax and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Halifax 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+ | 36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
16.2%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$112,651±$7k 8% above MA |
| Halifax and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$533,100±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
| Bridgewater Town and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,092±$177Highest 19% above MA |
| Bridgewater Town and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,499 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±13.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bridgewater Town and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
31 minLowest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Halifax 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #121 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Ayer Shirley School District | Bridgewater-Raynham |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Bridgewater-Raynham Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
18.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.