What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).

Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Northbridge	Weare
People
Population	16,458Highest	9,170Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S.	45.6±4Highest 17% above U.S.
	Weare 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 U.S.: 22%	22.4%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Weare and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Northbridge and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	41.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S.	$118,271±$17kHighest 46% above U.S.
	Weare 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±$15kHighest 35% above U.S.	$396,300±$26kLowest 19% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,541±$214Highest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S.	$6,272Highest 101% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	62.2%±24.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Weare 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 U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 17% above U.S.	36 minHighest 35% above U.S.
Work from home	16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Weare 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	#84 of 120 in NH
School district	Northbridge	John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District
High school in town	Northbridge High	John Stark Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.