Compare towns
Northbridge vs Exeter 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).
Exeter has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Exeter | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
7,195Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below 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%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±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±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$111,250±$30k 38% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Exeter 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. |
$509,200±$43k 53% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Exeter 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. |
$1,317±$307 7% below U.S. |
$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Exeter 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. |
$5,881 89% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amesbury 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 | #14 of 38 in RI | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Exeter-West Greenwich | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | None in town | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
— | 10.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.