Compare towns
Northbridge vs Saugus vs Springfield
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%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
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 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Lowest |
28,773 |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below 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%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield 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% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.4% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| 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 20% below MA |
$603,400±$13kHighest 7% above MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 20% below MA |
$6,049Highest about the MA average |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
6%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Saugus | Springfield |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Saugus High | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
15.5Highest |
12.2 |
| 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.