What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northbridge has the most homeowners (70.5%).

Framingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Northbridge	Framingham
People
Population	16,458Lowest	72,399Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA	37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA
Kids under 18	21.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Framingham and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.4%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%	15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Northbridge and Framingham 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%	48.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA	$107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA
	Northbridge and Framingham 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	$627,300±$10kHighest 12% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA	$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,821Lowest 20% below MA	$6,884Highest 15% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Framingham and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%	10.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA	1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	30 minLowest 4% above MA
Work from home	16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Framingham 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	#229 of 282 in MA
School district	Northbridge	Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Northbridge High	Framingham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	12.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.