Compare towns
Bristol vs Lancaster vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Bristol | Lancaster | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,917Lowest |
8,606 |
9,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 61±3.2Highest 57% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest 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+ | 42.8%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,750±$19kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above 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 | $406,400±$54kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above 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 | $1,051±$106Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,668Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Bristol 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bristol Public Schools | 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 |
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.