Compare towns
Dennis vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs Mashpee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dennis has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Mashpee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Dennis | Lancaster | Sutton | Mashpee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,868 |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
15,384Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 59.5±2Highest 49% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
55.9±1.8 40% above MA |
| Dennis and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mashpee and Dennis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,154±$10kLowest 15% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,100±$28kHighest 12% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$562,200±$29k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$260 19% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,776±$330 about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,877Lowest 52% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$3,762 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±9.9 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Dennis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | #238 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dennis-Yarmouth | Nashoba | Sutton | Mashpee |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School | Mashpee Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.