Compare towns
Northbridge vs Buzzards Bay 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).
Buzzards Bay has the oldest population (median age 54.4).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
2,909Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$94,388±$12kLowest 9% below MA |
$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 |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
| Amesbury and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #226 of 282 in MA | — | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | — | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | — | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
— | 10.9Highest |
| 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.