Compare towns
Northbridge vs Ogunquit vs Salem 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).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% 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 | Ogunquit | Salem | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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 35% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
— | $1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
| Salem and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 55% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Salem 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #226 of 282 in MA | — | #248 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | — | Salem | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | — | Salem High | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
— | 9.8Lowest |
10.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.