Compare towns
Athol 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
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
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 | Athol | Lancaster | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% 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 | 21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Sutton and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5kLowest 33% below 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 | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Nashoba | Sutton |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.