Compare towns
Northbridge vs Saugus vs Woonsocket
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 people working from home (16.2%).
Saugus has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% 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 | Saugus | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Lowest |
28,773 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Saugus 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% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saugus and Woonsocket 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 38% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Northbridge and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 55% above U.S. |
$6,049Highest 94% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saugus and Northbridge 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% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northbridge and Saugus 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 | #194 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Northbridge | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | — | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
| 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.