Compare towns
Northbridge vs Plainfield 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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($309k 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 | Plainfield | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
616Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Plainfield 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 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Lowest 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% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield 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 |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% 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±$15k 20% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Plainfield 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 |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Sutton 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 |
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.