Compare towns

Northbridge vs Woonsocket vs Upton vs Amesbury

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Amesbury has the shortest commute (29 min average).

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.

MeasureNorthbridgeWoonsocketUptonAmesbury
People
Population
16,458
43,521Highest
8,189Lowest
17,403
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
43.8±2.6
13% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
46.4±4.8Highest
19% above U.S.
43.7±1.7
12% above U.S.
Upton 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
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
23.2%±4.5
U.S.: 22%
20%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.4%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.2%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Upton 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%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
53.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.3%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.1%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
Woonsocket 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
38% above U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$155,508±$33kHighest
93% above U.S.
$103,554±$12k
28% above U.S.
Upton 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
35% above U.S.
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$576,700±$41kHighest
73% above U.S.
$519,300±$32k
56% above U.S.
Upton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,207±$102
15% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,683±$115Highest
19% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,821
55% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
$7,360
136% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.2%±9.8
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31
U.S.: 51.1%
66.7%±10.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Amesbury and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
70.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
68.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1973
7 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1969
11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 min
17% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
29 minLowest
10% above U.S.
Work from home
16.2%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
Upton 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 #37 of 38 in RI #46 of 282 in MA #151 of 282 in MA
School district Northbridge RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Amesbury
High school in town Northbridge High Woonsocket High School Blackstone Valley Amesbury High
Students per teacherat that high school
10.8Lowest
15.2Highest
11.2
10.9
On TownTapestry
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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.