Compare towns
Boston vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Northbridge has the most homeowners (70.5%).
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 | Boston | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
16,458Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
| Northbridge and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$4,821Highest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.