Compare towns
Brookline vs Northbridge vs Sutton vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Brookline | Northbridge | Sutton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
16,458Highest |
9,452 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below 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 | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% 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. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Northbridge | Sutton | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Northbridge High | Sutton High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
12.6Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.