Compare towns
Northbridge vs Bourne vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).
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 | Northbridge | Bourne | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
20,323Highest |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest 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+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below 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 | $448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Bourne and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Bourne and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 20% below MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Sutton |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
9.8Lowest |
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.