Compare towns
Northbridge vs Charlton 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 renters (29.5% rent).
Charlton has the most kids (24.7% under 18).
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 | Charlton | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
13,435 |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
43±4Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
24.7%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Charlton and Northbridge 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% |
18%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Charlton 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 MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Charlton 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±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$117,587±$8k 13% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$427,500±$19kLowest 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,381±$415Highest 22% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Charlton 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 |
$4,617Lowest 23% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.3%±9.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Northbridge and Sutton 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% |
2.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.9% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
13%±4.2Lowest 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 | #133 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric | Sutton |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
9.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.