Compare towns
Amesbury vs Northbridge vs Weare
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
Weare has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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.
| Measure | Amesbury | Northbridge | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
16,458 |
9,170Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
45.6±4Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Weare and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Weare and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amesbury and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$118,271±$17kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Weare and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$396,300±$26kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,541±$214 9% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,272 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.2%±24.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Weare and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amesbury | Northbridge | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Northbridge High | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
10.8Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.