Compare towns
Sutton vs Devens 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 most homeowners (89.7%).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Devens | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452 |
1,723Lowest |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
| Devens and Sutton 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% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest 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% |
14%±5Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
| Devens and Sutton 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 |
$556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Devens and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Devens and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$5,556 7% below MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Sutton 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | — | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | — | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
| 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.