Compare towns
Bourne vs Easthampton vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Easthampton has the most people working from home (19%).
Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
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 | Bourne | Easthampton | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
16,086Lowest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
46±2.6 15% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
| Northbridge and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,292±$70 27% below MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
| Bourne and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$4,932Highest 18% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Easthampton and Northbridge 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Easthampton | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Easthampton High | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
9.8Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.