Compare towns
Whiting vs Northbridge vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Northbridge has the most expensive homes ($449k median).
Leicester has the most homeowners (85.5%).
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 | Whiting | Northbridge | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532Lowest |
16,458Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
48.8±3.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Leicester and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Leicester and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38k 13% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$70,417±$30kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Northbridge and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$309,700±$107k 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519 15% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,098±$300Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Northbridge and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227 36% above U.S. |
$4,821Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northbridge and Leicester 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Northbridge | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | — |
| 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.