Compare towns
Amesbury vs Plainville vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
Plainville has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Northbridge has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Plainville | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
9,943Lowest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
| Northbridge and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Amesbury 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 MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
| Northbridge and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
$476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
| Plainville and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$5,329 11% below MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainville 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Plainville | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.