Compare towns
Milton vs Northbridge vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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.
| Measure | Milton | Northbridge | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,587 |
16,458Lowest |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Northbridge and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Milton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Northbridge and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281 16% below MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,677Highest 61% above MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 8% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #55 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Northbridge | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | — | Northbridge High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
18.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.