Compare towns
Northbridge vs Acton vs Upton vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Amesbury has the shortest commute (29 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 | Northbridge | Acton | Upton | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458 |
24,155Highest |
8,189Lowest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
| Upton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
| Acton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #226 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Acton-Boxborough | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Blackstone Valley | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
11.2 |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.