Compare towns
Ashland vs Lancaster vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Ashland | Lancaster | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,873Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Ashland and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $611,700±$18kHighest 9% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
$2,338±$539 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Ashland and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,444Highest 24% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Ashland 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 | #42 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashland | Nashoba | Sutton |
| High school in town | Ashland High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
| 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.