Compare towns
Northbridge vs Brookline vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k 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 | Northbridge | Brookline | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
531Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge and Sutton 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 38% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
| 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±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Brookline 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 |
| School district | Northbridge | — | Sutton |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | — | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.