Compare towns
Northbridge vs Salem vs Middleton
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 kids (21.1% under 18).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Salem | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
44,795Highest |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
| Northbridge and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Middleton 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% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Middleton and Salem 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% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salem 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Salem | Middleton |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.