Compare towns
Sutton vs West Springfield Town 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 people working from home (22.7%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
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 | West Springfield Town | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452Lowest |
28,772Highest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
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% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest 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% |
17.5%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and West Springfield Town 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% |
34%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield Town 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 42% above MA |
$69,371±$7kLowest 33% 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±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$321,500±$16kLowest 43% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,207±$102Highest 31% below MA |
| Northbridge and Sutton 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 |
$4,380Lowest 27% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town 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% |
11.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 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 | #218 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | West Springfield | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | West Springfield High | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
13.1Highest |
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.