What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanson has the most homeowners (89%).

Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).

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	Hanson	Northbridge
People
Population	10,660Lowest	16,458Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA	43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA
	Northbridge and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4%	21.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hanson and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9%	16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Hanson and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%	4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hanson and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,200±$10kHighest 27% above MA	$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA
	Hanson and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA	$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA	$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA
	Hanson and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,402Highest 7% above MA	$4,821Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hanson and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%	7.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	31 minLowest 7% above MA
Work from home	7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#149 of 282 in MA	#226 of 282 in MA
School district	Whitman-Hanson	Northbridge
High school in town	Whitman Hanson Regional	Northbridge High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	10.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.