Compare towns
Northbridge vs Sutton vs Amesbury vs Rockland
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 affordable homes ($449k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Rockland has the youngest population (median age 40.7).
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 | Sutton | Amesbury | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458 |
9,452Lowest |
17,403 |
17,701Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
40.7±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| 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% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.3 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% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Amesbury 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% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
32.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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 |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$112,405±$12k 8% 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 |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$472,900±$21k 16% below MA |
| Sutton and Amesbury 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 |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
$1,610±$255 9% below MA |
| Amesbury and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$6,487 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Rockland 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% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
6.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
76.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.7%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Amesbury 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | #175 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Sutton | Amesbury | Rockland |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Sutton High School | Amesbury High | Rockland Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.6Highest |
10.9 |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.