Compare towns
Halifax vs Needham 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%).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Bridgewater Town has the youngest population (median age 37.6).
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 | Halifax | Needham | Bridgewater Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748Lowest |
32,459Highest |
28,471 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
37.6±1.6Lowest 6% below MA |
| Needham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Halifax 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% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Halifax and Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
16.2%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$112,651±$7kLowest 8% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$533,100±$23k 5% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375Lowest about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,092±$177 19% above MA |
| Needham and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840 14% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,499Lowest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±13.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Bridgewater Town 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
75.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #120 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #121 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Needham | Bridgewater-Raynham |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | Bridgewater-Raynham Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Lowest |
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.