What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most people working from home (17.3%).

Bridgewater has the most homeowners (85.4%).

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	808Lowest	980Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	48.7±5.6Lowest 13% above VT	57.1±8Highest 32% above VT
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.1%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9%	12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.4%±0.5Highest VT: 21.4%	30.2%±0.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	40.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7%
	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	$56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT	$70,272±$3kHighest 13% below VT
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$304,000±$32kHighest 4% below VT	$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,018±$91Highest 18% below VT	$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT
	Ludlow and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,237Highest 16% below VT	$3,418Lowest 32% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33%±13.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4%
	Bridgewater and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%	85.4%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1976Highest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 10% below VT	24 minHighest about the VT average
Work from home	17.3%±6.4Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%
	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

VT 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.