Compare towns
Auburn vs Everett vs Sutton vs Lunenburg
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 most affordable homes ($400k median).
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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 | Everett | Sutton | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,970 |
50,045Highest |
9,452Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+16.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
43.2±2.1 8% 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%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett 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 |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$112,828±$11k 9% 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±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155 17% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,974±$586 12% above MA |
| Everett and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289 12% below MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$6,401 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
4.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Lunenburg 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 | #106 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Everett | Sutton | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Everett High | Sutton High School | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.1Lowest |
12.6Highest |
12.4 |
| 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.