What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Northbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).

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	Ludlow	Northbridge
People
Population	20,904Highest	16,458Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA	43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA
	Ludlow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Northbridge and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27%Lowest MA: 47.3%	36.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Ludlow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,838±$7kLowest 18% below MA	$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,300±$10kLowest 40% below MA	$448,600±$15kHighest 20% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,223±$82Highest 31% below MA	$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA
	Ludlow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,918Highest 18% below MA	$4,821Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Northbridge and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest MA: 10%	7.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest same as MA	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 31% below MA	31 minHighest 7% above MA
Work from home	14%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Northbridge and Ludlow 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	#154 of 282 in MA	#226 of 282 in MA
School district	Ludlow	Northbridge
High school in town	Ludlow Senior High	Northbridge High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	10.8Lowest
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.