Compare towns
Northbridge vs Suffield vs Brooklyn vs Whitman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k median).
Whitman has the youngest population (median age 40.4).
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 | Suffield | Brooklyn | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
15,702 |
8,517Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.4±1.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Suffield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Whitman 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 38% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$108,933±$14k 35% above U.S. |
| Suffield 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 35% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 55% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,824 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Suffield School District | Brooklyn School District | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Suffield High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
10.9Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.