East Bridgewater vs Halifax
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
The prices are within about $25k of each other, so schools break the tie: Halifax is ahead — 70th percentile on MCAS against 34th.
East Bridgewater is about 5 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
Choose East Bridgewater if the commute matters most.
All East Bridgewater numbers →Choose Halifax if you want the stronger schools of the two, or you want the lower price, or you want a train.
All Halifax numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsHalifax ahead on 3 of 8
| East Bridgewater | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS achievement | 34th | 70th |
| Student growth | 42nd | 49th |
| Graduation rate | 96% | 97.7% |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Substantial progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $18,317 | $20,263 |
| Schools in the district | 2 | 1 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 1 | 2 |
What a home costsLevel across all 7
| East Bridgewater | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $650kT2 | $625kT2 |
| 3BR townhouse | $500k | $480k |
| 2BR condo | $370k | $355k |
| 3BR home | $595k | $602k |
| 3BR rent | $3,170/mo | $3,430/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $180k | $174k |
| 10-year price growth | 6.2% a year | 6.4% a year |
What you pay the townLevel across all 4
| East Bridgewater | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $13.69T3 | $14.08T3 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$8,900 | ≈$8,800 |
| Town spending per resident | $4,136 | $3,708 |
| Share of budget on schools | 50% | 54% |
Getting to workEast Bridgewater ahead on 2 of 3, 1 against
| East Bridgewater | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 57 minT3 | 62 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~54 min to terminal |
| Miles from downtown | 23 mi | 26 mi |
Before kindergartenEast Bridgewater ahead on 3 of 4
| East Bridgewater | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 15 | 6 |
| Child care places | 623 | 214 |
| Centers vs family programs | 6 centers | 4 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 189 | 25 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| East Bridgewater | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,440 | 7,749 |
| Energy | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compact center | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Family amenities | 2/10 | 3/10 |
| Culture | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Gathering places | 6/10 | 6/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
