Compare towns
Brookfield vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs North Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
North Brookfield has the most renters (30.7% rent).
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 | Brookfield | Lancaster | Sutton | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
8,606 |
9,452Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
| Brookfield and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37k 22% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$79,285±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$359,100±$32k 36% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161 42% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$981±$63Lowest 44% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 15% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$4,176Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±15.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
12.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Nashoba | Sutton | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.