Compare towns
Cambridge vs Sutton vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.6%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Cambridge | Sutton | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,796Highest |
9,452 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,748±$4kLowest 26% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,092,100±$42kHighest 94% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±2.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.8%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #122 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cambridge | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.2 |
| 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.