Compare towns
Uxbridge vs Reading vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Uxbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
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 | Uxbridge | Reading | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,473Lowest |
25,612Highest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2.8Lowest 4% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
| Northbridge and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Uxbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Uxbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,725±$7k 20% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $441,100±$25kLowest 22% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,555±$265 12% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
| Reading and Uxbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,836 about the MA average |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.6%±5.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 3.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #183 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Uxbridge | — | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Uxbridge High | — | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
| 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.