Compare towns
Arlington vs Sutton vs Upton vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598Lowest |
9,452Highest |
8,189 |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 3% below U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
38.8±3.3 about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfax and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairfax and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$128,963±$29k 60% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,500±$59kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$378,200±$22k 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172Highest 16% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,080±$131 24% below U.S. |
| Arlington and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,497 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Arlington and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Arlington and Fairfax 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 | #50 of 70 in VT | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
12.6Highest |
11.2 |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.