Compare towns
Sutton vs Northbridge vs Dudley
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 people working from home (22.7%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Dudley has the most affordable homes ($393k 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 | Northbridge | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452Lowest |
16,458Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest 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 | 19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Dudley 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Dudley 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% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below 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±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley 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 |
$4,821 20% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest 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 | 5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Northbridge 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 | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Northbridge | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Northbridge High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
10.8Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.