Compare towns
Calais vs Northbridge vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Westford has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Calais | Northbridge | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
16,458Highest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
44.1±8.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Westford and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Westford and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,282 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and Westford 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Northbridge | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
U.S. 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.