Compare towns
Northbridge vs Orange 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).
Orange has the highest household income ($142k).
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 | Orange | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
14,315Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
45.6±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Orange and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange 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 38% above U.S. |
$142,325±$10kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$491,500±$17k 48% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Orange 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. |
$2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±12.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #38 of 149 in CT | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | — | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | — | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
— | 10.9Highest |
| 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.