Compare towns
Northbridge vs Stow 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).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
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 | Stow | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
7,165Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton and Stow 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Stow 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 MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Stow 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 |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow 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% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest 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 |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #226 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Nashoba | Sutton |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
— | 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.