Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Northbridge vs Attleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Northbridge has the highest household income ($111k).
Attleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.6%).
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 | Pittsfield | Northbridge | Attleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,457 |
16,458Lowest |
46,762Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±2 6% above MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
39.8±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Northbridge and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Attleboro and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Pittsfield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$98,954±$6k 5% below MA |
| Northbridge and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$448,600±$15kHighest 20% below MA |
$448,100±$13k 20% below MA |
| Northbridge and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,590±$83Highest 10% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,148Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
$5,366Highest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±5.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
48%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Pittsfield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
66.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 36% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Northbridge and Attleboro 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 | #251 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #185 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pittsfield | Northbridge | Attleboro |
| High school in town | Taconic High | Northbridge High | Attleboro High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
10.8 |
15.3Highest |
| 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.