Compare towns
Auburn vs Belchertown vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Belchertown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Auburn | Belchertown | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
15,393 |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.9±1.6Lowest 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Auburn and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Belchertown and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16k 29% below MA |
$371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA |
$1,292±$230 27% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Auburn and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$5,810 3% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Belchertown and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Belchertown | Sutton |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Belchertown High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.9Lowest |
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.