Compare towns
Hadley 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
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
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 | Hadley | Northbridge | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
16,458Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Hadley and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6Lowest 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+ | 24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43k 9% below MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Sutton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132Highest 20% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Hadley and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271 12% below MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest 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 | 6.4% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Hadley 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Northbridge | Sutton |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Northbridge High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
10.8 |
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.