Compare towns
Northbridge vs Whately 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 most kids (21.1% under 18).
Whately has the most homeowners (88.2%).
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 | Whately | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
1,499Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
| Whately 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% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Amesbury 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 MA: 47.3% |
47.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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 |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
| Whately 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±$15k 20% below MA |
$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$5,027 16% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury 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% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Amesbury 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 | — | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Whately | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | None in town | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
— | 10.9Highest |
| 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.