Compare towns
Arlington vs Sutton vs Upton vs Belmont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most people working from home (34.5%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Belmont has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Arlington | Sutton | Upton | Belmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 46,350Highest |
9,452 |
8,189Lowest |
27,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.9±1 7% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Belmont and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.1% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
80.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Belmont and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $150,701±$5k 45% above MA |
$147,125±$25kLowest 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$183,137±$14kHighest 76% above MA |
| Belmont and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,800±$23k 66% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$1,159,000±$33kHighest 106% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,082±$76 18% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,527±$105Highest 43% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,604 60% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±6.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
64.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Arlington and Belmont 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 | #29 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #3 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Arlington | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | Arlington High | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
12.6 |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.