Compare towns
Northbridge vs Rockland 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).
Rockland has the youngest population (median age 40.7).
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 | Rockland | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
17,701Highest |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
40.7±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
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%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% MA: 47.3% |
32.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±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 |
$112,405±$12k 8% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Rockland 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 |
$472,900±$21k 16% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Sutton and Rockland 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 |
$1,610±$255Highest 9% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,487 8% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Rockland 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% |
6.5% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
76.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.7%±3.8Lowest 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 | #175 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Rockland | Sutton |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Rockland Senior High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.5 |
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.