Compare towns
Northbridge vs Danvers vs Amesbury vs Upton
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 affordable homes ($449k median).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Danvers | Amesbury | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458 |
28,098Highest |
17,403 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Upton 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% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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 |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Danvers 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 |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Upton 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% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Danvers 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Amesbury | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Amesbury High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
10.9 |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.