What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).

Auburn has the shortest commute (26 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Northbridge	Auburn
People
Population	16,458Lowest	16,970Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA	44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA
	Auburn and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%	21%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Northbridge and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	45.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Auburn 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±$19kLowest 7% above MA	$116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA
	Auburn and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$448,600±$15kHighest 20% below MA	$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA	$1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,821Lowest 20% below MA	$5,289Highest 12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Auburn and Northbridge 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%	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	26 minLowest 12% below MA
Work from home	16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Northbridge and Auburn 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	#106 of 282 in MA
School district	Northbridge	Auburn
High school in town	Northbridge High	Auburn Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.