Compare towns
Northbridge vs Saugus vs Millbury
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%).
Saugus has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Millbury has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
28,773Highest |
13,961Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
42.6±3.1Lowest 7% above MA |
| 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%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Millbury 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% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus and Millbury 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% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Millbury 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 7% above MA |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
$118,790±$13kHighest 14% above MA |
| Millbury 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 20% below MA |
$603,400±$13kHighest 7% above MA |
$450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,623±$232 8% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,049Highest about the MA average |
$5,406 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Highest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Northbridge and Millbury 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 | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Saugus | Millbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Saugus High | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
15.5Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.