Compare towns
Chester vs Sutton vs Erving
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Erving has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Chester | Sutton | Erving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,240Lowest |
9,452Highest |
1,703 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.7Highest 15% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
43.3±2.4Lowest 8% above MA |
| Chester and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Erving and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Sutton and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,390±$6k 14% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$77,656±$9kLowest 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,900±$14k 50% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$71Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,190±$401Highest 32% below MA |
$1,163±$213 34% below MA |
| Sutton and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,522 25% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±22.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±23Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Chester and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 7%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Gateway | Sutton | Erving |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.