Compare towns
Auburn vs Sutton vs Upton vs Leicester
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 renters (20.4% rent).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Leicester has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
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 | Sutton | Upton | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
9,452 |
8,189Lowest |
11,113 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±3.5Lowest 6% above MA |
| Upton and Auburn 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% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Auburn 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% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.9%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Upton 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% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Leicester 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 |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$105,173±$9kLowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Sutton 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 |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$413,100±$23k 27% below MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155 17% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA |
| Leicester and Auburn 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 |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,452Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton 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% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #106 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #222 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Leicester |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Leicester High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.6Highest |
11.2 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.