Compare towns
Middlesex vs Northbridge vs Sutton vs Montpelier
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Montpelier has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Middlesex | Northbridge | Sutton | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
16,458Highest |
9,452 |
8,014 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
42.3±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montpelier and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Sutton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$375,100±$21kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,302±$113 8% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier 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 | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Northbridge | Sutton | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Sutton High School | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
12.6Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.