What stands out worked out from the figures below

Starks has grown the fastest since 2010 (-7.3%).

Bridgewater has the most people working from home (7.5%).

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	Starks	Bridgewater
People
Population	556Highest	484Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.3%Highest ME: +2.6%	-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME	48.8±8Highest 9% above ME
	Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	17.1%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%	27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21%Highest ME: 36.2%	18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	2.9%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME	$65,417±$15kHighest 12% below ME
	Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME	$154,900±$78kHighest 48% below ME
	Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME	$768±$116Lowest 33% below ME
	Starks and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,348Lowest 56% below ME	$1,417Highest 53% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%	38.9%±59.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Starks and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.2%Highest ME: 10.7%	12%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 33% above ME	22 minLowest 10% below ME
Work from home	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	7.5%±5.1Highest ME: 15.9%
	Bridgewater and Starks 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.