Compare towns
Halifax vs Sterling 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).
Sterling has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Bridgewater Town has the most renters (24.4% rent).
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 | Sterling | Bridgewater Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748Lowest |
8,183 |
28,471Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
51.5±1.8Highest 29% above MA |
37.6±1.6Lowest 6% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Sterling 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% |
22.9%±4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sterling 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
16.2%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
$129,063±$27kHighest 24% above MA |
$112,651±$7kLowest 8% above MA |
| Sterling and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
$498,800±$48k 11% below MA |
$533,100±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
| Bridgewater Town and Sterling 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 |
$1,699±$161Lowest 4% 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 |
$6,757 13% above MA |
$6,499Lowest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46%±23.1 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±13.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bridgewater Town and Sterling 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% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
75.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
31 minLowest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sterling 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #121 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Wachusett | Bridgewater-Raynham |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bridgewater-Raynham Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 18.1 |
| 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.