Compare towns
Braintree vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most renters (19% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Braintree | Lancaster | Sutton | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
8,606 |
9,452Highest |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$850±$778 40% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Nashoba | Sutton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.