Compare towns
Canterbury vs Sutton vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canterbury has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Canterbury | Sutton | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,353 |
2,239Lowest |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±3.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canterbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Canterbury and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,333±$37k 60% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $443,700±$21kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,136±$233Highest 51% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,421 138% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 71.7%±48.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canterbury and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canterbury 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 | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Shaker Regional School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.