Compare towns
Northbridge vs Bow vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
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 | Bow | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
8,335Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
| 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%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amesbury and Bow 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow 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 38% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Bow School District | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Bow High School | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.