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Living in
Southbridge.
About
Life in Southbridge
This is a working-class town where you can actually afford to buy a home—median values hover around $295,000 with median rent under $1,200 a month—which matters a lot if you're priced out of Boston or looking to stretch your paycheck further in Massachusetts. The population sits just under 18,000, which means it's small enough to feel like a real community but not so small you're isolated; there's a Latino community that makes up over a quarter of residents, adding real cultural diversity to what's still majority white and family-oriented. Housing affordability is genuinely one of the town's strongest selling points compared to Eastern Massachusetts, and if you're raising a family on a tight budget, that matters; the school system has had its challenges (it was placed in state receivership in 2016), so that's worth researching carefully depending on your kids' needs.
Southbridge at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.3%
Foreign-Born
5.0%
Broadband Internet
89.8%
of households
Population Growth
+2.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.0% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Southbridge: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Southbridge, the largest foreign-born group is from India (18.1%), and 28.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.9%
of residents
65 and Older
14.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.2%
of households
Married Couples
33.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.44
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 29% below MA average
Rent, home values, and income in Southbridge
In Southbridge, rent runs 29% below the MA average, and home values are 48% below the MA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,400
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
42.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1956
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.5%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts above MA average
Unemployment in Southbridge
Unemployment in Southbridge is 1.4 percentage points higher than the MA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Southbridge Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.3 min avg
How Southbridge residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Southbridge, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 55% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 16 mi
Worcester Regional Airport (ORH)
Regional airport · few flights106k passengers boarded in 2025
- 35 mi
Bradley International Airport (BDL)
Medium hub3.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 56 mi
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Major hub21.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 7% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Southbridge runs 7% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
352.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
853.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Southbridge Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Worcester County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Worcester County, which includes Southbridge, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $162,300 |
| 2024 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $11,800 |
| 2023 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2022 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $99,300 |
| 2021 | 42 | Thunderstorm Wind | $220,500 |
| 2020 | 47 | Strong Wind | $376,000 |
| 2019 | 34 | Strong Wind | $170,350 |
| 2018 | 45 | Strong Wind | $5.5M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Worcester County, county-wide
Southbridge is about 2% of Worcester County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Worcester County, which includes Southbridge, is typically good — 298 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
298
per year
Moderate Days
67
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Worcester County, county-wide
Southbridge is about 2% of Worcester County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate79°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Southbridge has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
37°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.9"
Annual Snowfall
52.4"
Hot Days/Year
6
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
147
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
140
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 17°F | 4.05" |
| Feb | 36°F | 18°F | 3.52" |
| Mar | 45°F | 25°F | 4.61" |
| Apr | 58°F | 35°F | 4.44" |
| May | 69°F | 46°F | 3.74" |
| Jun | 77°F | 55°F | 4.39" |
| Jul | 81°F | 60°F | 4.33" |
| Aug | 79°F | 59°F | 4.44" |
| Sep | 72°F | 51°F | 4.24" |
| Oct | 59°F | 39°F | 4.97" |
| Nov | 49°F | 31°F | 4.10" |
| Dec | 39°F | 23°F | 5.08" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Southbridge
Southbridge has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Umass Memorial Health - Harrington Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Day Kimball Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.2 mi away · Putnam
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education11.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Southbridge
Southbridge's student/teacher ratio is 11.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
19.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Springfield Armory National Historic Site, 28 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Southbridge
Southbridge has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Springfield Armory National Historic Site (28 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Springfield Armory National Historic Site
National Historic Site
28 mi awayNew England National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
30 mi awayBlackstone River Valley National Historical Park
National Historical Park
36 mi awayRoger Williams National Memorial
National Memorial
36 mi awayMinute Man National Historical Park
National Historical Park
46 mi awayFrederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
National Historic Site
50 mi awayJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
National Historic Site
51 mi awayLongfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
National Historic Site
51 mi awayPublic Libraries in Southbridge
Jacob Edwards Library
236 Main St., Southbridge
Cities Near Southbridge
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Southbridge?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Southbridge FAQ
Is Southbridge, Massachusetts affordable?⌄
Southbridge's median rent is $1,256/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $66,287/year. Median home value is $294,800.
Is Southbridge, Massachusetts safe?⌄
Southbridge's violent crime rate was 352 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 854 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Southbridge, Massachusetts?⌄
Southbridge has an unemployment rate of 5.9%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Southbridge, Massachusetts?⌄
The cost of living in Southbridge is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,256/month and median household income is $66,287/year. The median home value is $294,800. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Southbridge, Massachusetts?⌄
The average commute in Southbridge is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from