Compare towns
Northbridge vs Ayer 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 highest household income ($111k).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
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 | Ayer | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
8,645Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Amesbury and Northbridge 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% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ayer 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±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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 |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
| Amesbury and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,415±$180 20% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
| Amesbury and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Amesbury 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 | #113 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Ayer Shirley School District | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
11.5Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.