Compare towns
Colrain vs Sturbridge vs Sutton vs Heath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colrain has the most affordable homes ($284k median).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Colrain | Sturbridge | Sutton | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
9,960Highest |
9,452 |
765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
| Heath and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10kLowest 22% below MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
| Sutton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$295,000±$45k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,193±$398Highest 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
— |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sutton and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath 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 | — | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.