What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most kids (22.7% under 18).

Bridgewater has the most expensive homes ($155k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ludlow	Bridgewater
People
Population	444Lowest	484Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-12.8% ME: +2.6%
Median age	46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average	48.8±8Highest 9% above ME
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1%	17.1%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4%	27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%	18.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	2.9%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME	$65,417±$15kHighest 12% below ME
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME	$154,900±$78kHighest 48% below ME
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$988±$111Highest 13% below ME	$768±$116Lowest 33% below ME
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,655Highest 45% below ME	$1,417Lowest 53% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4%	38.9%±59.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.3%Highest ME: 10.7%	12%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.4%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME	1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 15% below ME	22 minHighest 10% below ME
Work from home	9.8%±8Highest ME: 15.9%	7.5%±5.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME 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.