Compare towns
Boston vs Douglas vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
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 | Boston | Douglas | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
9,207Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Douglas and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Boston and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Boston and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Boston 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Douglas | Sutton |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Douglas High School | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
7.2Lowest |
12.6 |
| 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.