What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gloucester has the most expensive homes ($601k 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	Gloucester	Northbridge
People
Population	30,075Highest	16,458Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA	43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Northbridge and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA	$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$600,600±$18kHighest 7% above MA	$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,411±$94Highest 20% below MA	$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,152Highest about the MA average	$4,821Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Gloucester and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Highest MA: 10%	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 18% below MA	31 minHighest 7% above MA
Work from home	12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Northbridge and Gloucester 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	#164 of 282 in MA	#226 of 282 in MA
School district	Gloucester	Northbridge
High school in town	Gloucester High	Northbridge High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0Lowest	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.