Compare towns
Chatham vs Sutton vs Wellfleet vs Harwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chatham has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Sutton has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
Harwich has the most renters (15.2% 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 | Chatham | Sutton | Wellfleet | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,681 |
9,452 |
4,404Lowest |
13,598Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 63.4±2.8Highest 59% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
58.4±4.1 46% above MA |
58.6±1.5 47% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 8.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 45.5%±5.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7% MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
64.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sutton and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,167±$9kLowest 18% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$117,938±$27k 13% above MA |
$96,966±$13k 7% below MA |
| Sutton and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $942,800±$78kHighest 68% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$855,300±$70k 52% above MA |
$658,600±$26k 17% above MA |
| Chatham and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,485±$209 16% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,563±$597 11% below MA |
$2,017±$738Highest 14% above MA |
| Harwich and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,094Lowest 32% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,862 19% below MA |
$4,189 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.7%±21.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Chatham and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
9.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
84.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
25 min 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Chatham 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 | #130 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | — | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Monomoy Regional School District | Sutton | Wellfleet | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.