What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Mansfield
People
Population	16,458Lowest	25,358Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S.	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S.	$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S.	$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S.	$5,727Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#226 of 282 in MA	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Northbridge	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Northbridge High	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	11.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.