Compare towns
Northbridge vs Springfield vs Worcester vs Amesbury
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 highest household income ($111k).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k 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 | Springfield | Worcester | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458Lowest |
154,749 |
207,055Highest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 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% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Amesbury 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% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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 |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 20% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Amesbury 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Springfield | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Springfield Central High | South High Community | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.2 |
14.6Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.