Compare towns
Northbridge vs Orange vs Whitman
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 people working from home (16.2%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Whitman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
7,573Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Northbridge and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Whitman 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 7% above MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Northbridge and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$472,700±$12kHighest 16% below MA |
| Whitman and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 20% below MA |
$4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Northbridge and Whitman 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Highest |
9.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.