Compare towns
Northbridge vs Lancaster vs Upton 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Lancaster | Upton | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton 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 |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Upton 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 |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sutton |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.