Compare towns
Northbridge vs Hanson vs Amesbury
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 affordable homes ($449k median).
Hanson has the most homeowners (89%).
Amesbury has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Hanson | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
10,660Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| 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%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson 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% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Amesbury 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% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson 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 |
$132,200±$10kHighest 27% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
| Hanson 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 |
$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Hanson and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
| Hanson and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,402 7% above MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Amesbury 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Whitman-Hanson | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Whitman Hanson Regional | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
10.9 |
| 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.