Compare towns
Douglas vs Everett vs Lawrence vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Douglas | Everett | Lawrence | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
50,045 |
88,736Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Douglas and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338 6% above MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Everett | Lawrence | Sutton |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Everett High | Lawrence High School | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
12.1 |
13.6Highest |
12.6 |
| 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.