Compare towns
Attleboro vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Attleboro has the most affordable homes ($448k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Methuen has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Attleboro | Lancaster | Sutton | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 46,762 |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
53,475Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.8±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Attleboro and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3 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+ | 34% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,954±$6kLowest 5% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$113,310±$7k 9% 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 | $448,100±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$499,700±$17k 11% 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 | $1,590±$83 10% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,749±$91 about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,366 10% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±5.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest 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 | #185 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Attleboro | Nashoba | Sutton | Methuen |
| High school in town | Attleboro High | None in town | Sutton High School | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.3Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.