Compare towns
Halifax vs Barre 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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k median).
Bridgewater Town has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Barre | Bridgewater Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748 |
5,572Lowest |
28,471Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA |
37.6±1.6Lowest 6% below MA |
| Barre and Halifax 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% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Barre and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
39.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
16.2%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
$107,727±$13kLowest 4% above MA |
$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 |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% 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 |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% 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 |
$5,163Lowest 14% below MA |
$6,499 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest 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% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
75.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
31 minLowest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Halifax and Bridgewater Town 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 | #134 of 282 in MA | #121 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Quabbin | Bridgewater-Raynham |
| High school in town | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Bridgewater-Raynham Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Lowest |
18.1Highest |
| 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.