Compare towns
Berlin vs Marlborough vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Marlborough has the most renters (44% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Berlin | Marlborough | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,378Lowest |
41,647Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Marlborough and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3% MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Berlin and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,336±$12k 17% above MA |
$91,968±$9kLowest 12% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Berlin and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$1,871±$123 6% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Berlin and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Highest 19% above MA |
$5,747Lowest 4% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marlborough and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3% MA: 62.5% |
56%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 17% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin 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 | #61 of 282 in MA | #215 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough | Sutton |
| High school in town | None in town | Assabet Valley Vocational High School | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Lowest |
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.