Compare towns
Dalton vs Northbridge vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Dalton | Northbridge | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256Lowest |
16,458Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Dalton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 | $79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,207±$102Highest 31% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Northbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Northbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Northbridge | Sutton |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | Northbridge High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
10.8Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.