Compare towns
Northbridge vs Bourne vs Millbury
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 people working from home (16.2%).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Millbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Bourne | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
20,323Highest |
13,961Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
42.6±3.1Lowest 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Millbury 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% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Millbury 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 |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$118,790±$13kHighest 14% above MA |
| Millbury 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±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,623±$232Highest 8% below MA |
| Millbury and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 20% below MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$5,406Highest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne 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% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northbridge and Bourne 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Millbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
9.8Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| 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.