Northbridge vs Sutton

4BR house$125k apart

Northbridge$525k

Sutton$650k

Both among the cheapest third of Massachusetts towns

Tax billOn each town’s own median 4BR$1,900/yr apart

Northbridge$6,600

Sutton$8,500

Both mid-range for Massachusetts towns

To BostonLevel

Northbridge73 min

Sutton76 min

Both among the furthest third of Massachusetts towns

SchoolsMCAS percentile, statewide14 percentile points apart

Northbridge35th pct

Sutton49th pct

Both mid-range for Massachusetts districts

marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.

You are paying about $125k more for a 4BR in Sutton, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $125k for one tier of schooling.

On tax, look past the rate: Northbridge works out roughly $1,900 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.

Northbridge

Choose Northbridge if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.

All Northbridge numbers →

Sutton

Choose Sutton if you want the stronger schools of the two.

All Sutton numbers →

Side by side

Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.

SchoolsSutton ahead on 5 of 8

	Northbridge	Sutton
School tier	mixed schoolsT4	solid schoolsT3
MCAS achievementState percentile, all grades	35th	49th
Student growthHow far the district moves children, not who enrolled	48th	53rd
Graduation rate	84.7%	94.2%
State accountabilityDESE’s own summary	Moderate progress toward targets	Substantial progress toward targets
Spending per pupilHigher is not better — it tracks need, not results	$18,760	$19,680
Schools in the districtElementary and middle buildings the rating averages	2	3
Private schools within 12 miAccredited, the fallback if the district does not fit	3	6

What a home costsNorthbridge ahead on 4 of 6

	Northbridge	Sutton
4BR house	$525kT1	$650kT2
3BR townhouse	$405k	$500k
2BR condo	$300k	$370k
3BR rent	$2,450/mo	$2,440/mo
Income needed for the 4BRHousehold income at our standard assumptions	$145k	$179k
10-year price growthCompound, 2016–2026	6.6% a year	6.7% a year

What you pay the townNorthbridge ahead on 1 of 4

	Northbridge	Sutton
Tax ratePer $1,000 of value — not what you pay	$12.50T3	$13.00T3
Est. tax bill on that 4BRRate times the town’s own median 4BR	≈$6,600	≈$8,500
Town spending per residentFY2025 general fund, per head	$3,427	$4,338
Share of budget on schools	52%	55%

Getting to workLevel across all 3

	Northbridge	Sutton
Commute to BostonDoor to door at peak	73 minT4	76 minT4
MBTA rail	No MBTA rail	No MBTA rail
Miles from downtown	35 mi	38 mi

Before kindergartenNorthbridge ahead on 3 of 4

	Northbridge	Sutton
Licensed child care programsBefore kindergarten	16	6
Child care placesLicensed capacity, not vacancies	558	203
Centers vs family programsThe rest are programs in a provider’s home	8 centers	4 centers
Infant places in centersFamily programs report no age split	41	34

What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them

	Northbridge	Sutton
Population	16,335	9,357
Energy	5/10	4/10
Compact center	6/10	4/10
Family amenities	5/10	2/10
Culture	5/10	4/10
Gathering places	6/10	6/10

The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.

Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area FMRs · reviewed August 14, 2026 · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.

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