Compare towns
Northampton vs Sutton vs Norwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).
Norwood has the most expensive homes ($652k 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 | Sutton | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962 |
2,239Lowest |
31,542Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2 6% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Northampton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$107,030±$11k 33% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17k 29% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$651,700±$13kHighest 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$2,116±$83Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Norwood and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680Lowest 82% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,111 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.3%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
54%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #159 of 282 in MA | — | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Kearsarge Regional School District | Norwood |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Kearsarge Regional High School | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.