Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
West Bridgewater's standout: it has 13 miles of trail and 25% conserved land. Overall it grades B−, ranked 185th of 282 in Massachusetts. It is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns and the median household earns $123K. Its weakest subject is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $604K, 5.2 years of the Boston metro’s $116K median household income. 25% of the land in West Bridgewater is conserved, against 19% in Massachusetts’ towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. The biggest place to walk is Hockomock Swamp Wildlife Management Area, 1,079 acres with 1.5 miles of trail. West Bridgewater has 2 places on the National Register.
Where West Bridgewater beats most towns.
Census counts: 1,447 in 1850, 7,707 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1830 and 7 maps from 1886 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Massachusetts), ordered by how far West Bridgewater is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Bridgewater. Close and well known come first.
Big draw13 mi Stadium & arenaGillette Stadium
Big draw23 mi Stadium & arenaFenway Park
Big draw22 mi MuseumIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum
23 mi MuseumUSS Massachusetts
34 mi Ancient siteHMS Endeavour
23 mi AttractionFreedom TrailGillette Stadium: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fenway Park: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Sean Dungan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · USS Massachusetts: USN, Public domain · HMS Endeavour: Samuel Atkins (c.1760-1810), Public domain · Freedom Trail: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Bridgewater, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in West Bridgewater.
West Bridgewater draws workers from Brockton and beyond and is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Massachusetts.
6,525 jobs are based in West Bridgewater, 1.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
5% of West Bridgewater residents live below the poverty line, where Massachusetts’ towns sit at 6% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Jobs in West Bridgewater grew by 929 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 6,525. For West Bridgewater, the average commute is 26 minutes. The top destinations are Boston (12%), Brockton (11%) and Quincy (3%).
| West Bridgewater | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $123,000 | $120,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 5% | 6% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 12% | 18% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Two of its 4 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. The largest public high school is West Bridgewater Junior/Senior, with 614 students. The public schools here belong to the West Bridgewater school district.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 4–6 | Grades 4–6 | 335 | C+ |
| West Bridgewater Junior/SeniorLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 614 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MA on state tests and graduation
Within Massachusetts it is less healthy than 51% of the 279 graded towns: Massachusetts sets a high bar. Against the 5,249 U.S. towns with household incomes like West Bridgewater’s, it is healthier than 68%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
West Bridgewater: 82% of adults had a checkup this year. Against the Massachusetts average, West Bridgewater comes out ahead on 8 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 1. 28% of adults here have obesity; 14% say their health is fair or poor.
| West Bridgewater | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 28% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 19% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 82% | 79% |
| What stands out | West Bridgewater | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9% | 12.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
On expected storm and flood damage, West Bridgewater sits below 83% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in the town. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 67% come from inland flooding and 13% from hurricanes. Federal aid has come to West Bridgewater households in 10 declared disasters; the latest was in 2022.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
In 12 parks and preserves, walkers have 13 miles of trail. West Bridgewater’s trail density stands at 0.9 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves here: 12, covering 1,316 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hockomock Swamp Wildlife Management Area | 1.5 mi | 1,079 |
| 2. War Memorial Park | 0.5 mi | 4 |
| 3. Hockomock Swamp | — | 111 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
In July, afternoons reach 84°; in January, nights fall to 20°, and about 34 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Typical home values rose 3.8% in the year to September 2026. In West Bridgewater, the going rate for rent is $1,921 a month. Also worth knowing: the share of households in West Bridgewater who own their home: 82%.
| West Bridgewater | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,921 a month | $1,682 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 82% | 79% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The bachelor’s-degree share among adults 25 and older is 44%, against 47% across Massachusetts. Every broad age group is within 4 points of the Massachusetts average. West Bridgewater’s age of the median resident comes in at 38.4 years. It is growing: up 2.1% since 2020, to 7,872 residents (2025 estimate).
| West Bridgewater | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 years | 43.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 44% | 47% | 29% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.8 points. Across Massachusetts, 51.1% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 75% are men (MA 49%).
| West Bridgewater | MA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.7% | 10.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.9% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.8% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 16.5% | 14% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.7% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.5% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.6% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.9% | 10.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.4% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.4% | 8.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 29% | 22.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.5% | 14.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.4% | 7.5% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 31.2% | 25.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.4% | 21.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Massachusetts has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns West Bridgewater sits closer to the middle. The level of violent crime for West Bridgewater comes to 2.6 per 1,000 residents.
| West Bridgewater | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 9.1 per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
4 within 15 miles of the center of West Bridgewater
About 4 of every 100 West Bridgewater residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Massachusetts.
6,916 counted in 2010 and 7,707 in 2020; an estimated 7,872 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
6 notable people were born in West Bridgewater.
Town in Massachusetts, United States
West Bridgewater is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,707 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with West Bridgewater.
| Town | MA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Bridgewater | #185 | B− | D | B− | B− | A |
| Bridgewater Town | #101 | A− | D | A− | B− | A− |
| Brockton | #272 | D | C− | C− | D | C− |
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
West Bridgewater grades B− overall, better than 55% of U.S. towns and #185 of 282 in Massachusetts. It grades A for health, B− for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes, by national standards. Massachusetts has less crime than most states, so among its own towns West Bridgewater sits nearer the middle.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
6 notable people were born here, including Wally Snell and Walter Orr Roberts.
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