Compare towns
Northbridge vs Sutton vs Wellfleet
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).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
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 | Wellfleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
9,452 |
4,404Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
58.4±4.1Highest 46% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4Lowest 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% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
64.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$117,938±$27k 13% above MA |
| Sutton and Wellfleet 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±$47k 7% below MA |
$855,300±$70kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,563±$597Highest 11% below MA |
| Wellfleet and Northbridge 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 |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,862 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest 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% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Wellfleet 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 | Wellfleet |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Sutton High School | None in town |
| 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.