Compare towns
Coventry vs Northbridge vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
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 | Coventry | Northbridge | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
16,458 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44±1.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Coventry and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Coventry and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Coventry and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,200±$11k 7% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102Highest 15% below U.S. |
— |
| Northbridge and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099Highest 63% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Coventry and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northbridge and Sterling 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 | #24 of 38 in RI | #226 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Coventry | Northbridge | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Northbridge High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.