Compare towns
Brookfield vs Northbridge vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($339k median).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Brookfield | Northbridge | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
16,458Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
| Northbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%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 | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Northbridge | Sutton |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| 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.