Compare towns
Baltic vs Sturbridge vs Sutton vs Voluntown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baltic has the most renters (62.2% rent).
Sturbridge has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
Voluntown has the oldest population (median age 48.3).
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 | Baltic | Sturbridge | Sutton | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,157Lowest |
9,960Highest |
9,452 |
2,604 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.8±15.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
48.3±1.7Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Voluntown and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,958±$47kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$101,964±$25k 26% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,200±$27kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$356,100±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,247±$141Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,166±$191Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Baltic and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,799Lowest 22% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,955 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.3%±13.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±24.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sutton and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Sturbridge 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 | — | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.