Compare towns
Amesbury vs Stoneham 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 renters (31.4% rent).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
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 | Stoneham | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
23,355Highest |
16,458Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% 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%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Stoneham 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% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham 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% MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Stoneham and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$113,964±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
| Stoneham 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±$32k 8% below MA |
$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$6,523 9% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Stoneham | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Stoneham High | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
10.8 |
| 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.