Compare towns
Conway vs Northbridge vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Conway has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Northbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Conway | Northbridge | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,755Lowest |
16,458Highest |
5,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±3Highest 39% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
| Conway and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.9%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,250±$11kLowest 6% below MA |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$106,136±$14k about the MA average |
| Northbridge and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,900±$25kLowest 30% below MA |
$448,600±$15kHighest 20% below MA |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
| Northbridge and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$990Highest about the MA average |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,334±$318 24% below MA |
| Conway and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,797 3% below MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.9%±33.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 18% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 29.1%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Conway and Deerfield 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 | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Conway | Northbridge | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.