What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).

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	Ledyard	Northbridge
People
Population	15,433Lowest	16,458Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.1±1.4Lowest 5% below U.S.	43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S.
Kids under 18	27.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	21.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Ledyard and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Ledyard and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Ledyard and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,975±$10kLowest 34% above U.S.	$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S.
	Northbridge and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$326,200±$27kLowest about the U.S. average	$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,629±$247Highest 15% above U.S.	$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,371Highest 104% above U.S.	$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±27Highest U.S.: 51.1%	51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ledyard and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#99 of 149 in CT	#226 of 282 in MA
School district	Ledyard School District	Northbridge
High school in town	Ledyard High School	Northbridge High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Highest	10.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.