Compare towns
Northbridge vs Danvers vs Whitinsville
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 homeowners (70.5%).
Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Whitinsville has the most renters (40.7% 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 | Danvers | Whitinsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
28,098Highest |
7,115Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
38.8±6Lowest 3% below MA |
| Danvers and Northbridge 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% |
21.2%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Whitinsville 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% |
16.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Whitinsville 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 7% above MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$96,145±$15kLowest 8% below MA |
| Danvers 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 |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$449,600±$22k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,197±$112Lowest 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 20% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$4,793Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Northbridge and Whitinsville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
59.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
15%±6.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Northbridge 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 | — |
| School district | Northbridge | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.