Compare towns
Sutton vs Boston vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
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 | Sutton | Boston | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452Lowest |
666,442Highest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
43.8±2.6 9% 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 | 19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest 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+ | 18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1 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+ | 52.8% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
| Sutton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 4% above MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Boston 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Boston Latin School | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
18.7Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.