Compare towns
Gardner 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
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Gardner | Northbridge | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
16,458 |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% 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 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 35% 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 | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% 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 | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Northbridge and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Northbridge | Sutton |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Northbridge High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.8Lowest |
12.6 |
| 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.