Compare towns
Mount Washington vs Northbridge vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Washington has the most people working from home (30.1%).
Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Sheffield has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Mount Washington | Northbridge | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 193Lowest |
16,458Highest |
3,330 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.7Highest 30% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
48.2±8 21% above MA |
| Mount Washington and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±14.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Mount Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±13Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Mount Washington and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±7.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±4.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,500±$26kHighest 37% above MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$92,120±$31kLowest 11% below MA |
| Mount Washington and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $714,300±$141kHighest 27% above MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$409,400±$32kLowest 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,837±$1kHighest 4% above MA |
| Sheffield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,316Lowest 45% below MA |
$4,821Highest 20% below MA |
$4,520 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mount Washington and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±14.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Mount Washington and Northbridge 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA | #250 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Northbridge | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | — | Northbridge High | Mt Everett Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Highest |
7.8Lowest |
| 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.