Compare towns
Dublin vs Northbridge vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dublin has the most people working from home (22%).
Northbridge has the highest household income ($111k).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Dublin | Northbridge | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,688Lowest |
16,458Highest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±8.4Highest 27% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Dublin and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dublin and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dublin and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,659±$14k 30% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Dublin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $430,500±$72kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$165 6% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,165Highest 162% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$5,329 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainville and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dublin and Plainville 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 | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Northbridge | Plainville |
| 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 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.