Compare towns
Northampton vs Sturbridge vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northampton has the most renters (42.7% rent).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
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 | Northampton | Sturbridge | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
9,960 |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Northampton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Northampton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680Lowest 5% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 26% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton 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 | #159 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
7.7Lowest |
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.