Compare towns
Auburn vs Sutton vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Auburn | Sutton | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
9,452Lowest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
| Auburn and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Auburn and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
| Sutton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289 12% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Auburn and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton 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 | #106 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Sutton | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Sutton High School | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.6Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.