Compare towns
Northbridge vs Freeport 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).
Freeport has the most people working from home (21.2%).
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 | Freeport | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
8,802Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Freeport and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest 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% |
26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Freeport 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. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Freeport 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. |
$508,400±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Freeport 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. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Freeport 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% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Freeport and Amesbury 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | RSU 05 | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Freeport High School | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.2Highest |
10.9 |
| 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.