What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bourne	Northbridge
People
Population	20,323Highest	16,458Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA	43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Highest MA: 47.3%	36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% 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	$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA	$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA
	Bourne and Northbridge 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	$4,821Highest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±9.8Lowest 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%	7.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 11% below MA	31 minHighest 7% above MA
Work from home	14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Northbridge and Bourne 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	#226 of 282 in MA
School district	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical	Northbridge
High school in town	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical	Northbridge High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	10.8Highest
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.