Compare towns
Sutton vs Northbridge vs Brooklyn vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Northbridge | Brooklyn | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
16,458Highest |
8,517Lowest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn 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±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763 117% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Northbridge | Brooklyn School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Northbridge High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
10.8Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.