Compare towns
Northbridge vs Exeter vs Amesbury vs Upton
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).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Exeter | Amesbury | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458 |
16,151 |
17,403Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton 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 35% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Upton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Amesbury 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Exeter 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #151 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Amesbury | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Exeter High School | Amesbury High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.9 |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.