Compare towns
Dunstable vs Northbridge vs Sutton vs Paxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
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 | Dunstable | Northbridge | Sutton | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
16,458Highest |
9,452 |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
| Sutton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
54.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,386±$88Highest 21% below MA |
| Paxton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
91.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Paxton 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Northbridge | Sutton | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.