Compare towns
Phippsburg vs Northbridge vs West Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phippsburg has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
Northbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
West Bath has the most people working from home (17.1%).
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 | Phippsburg | Northbridge | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,238 |
16,458Highest |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±6.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6 39% above U.S. |
| Phippsburg and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Phippsburg and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Bath and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,833±$19k 34% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,800±$47kLowest about the U.S. average |
$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,022±$346Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Northbridge and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,034Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$4,821Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,516 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.5%±98.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| West Bath 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Northbridge | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.