Compare towns
Northbridge vs Stow vs Whitman
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 shortest commute (31 min average).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Whitman has the youngest population (median age 40.4).
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 | Stow | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
7,165Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Stow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stow 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Whitman and Northbridge 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 |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$108,933±$14kLowest 5% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,771±$151 about the MA average |
| Stow and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Stow 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% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #226 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Nashoba | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
— | — |
| 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.