Compare towns
Douglas vs Fall River vs Sutton vs Townsend
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).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
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 | Fall River | Sutton | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
94,082Highest |
9,452 |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
| 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%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Townsend 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% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Townsend 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 |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% 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 |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
| Sutton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
| Douglas and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338 6% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Townsend 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Sutton | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | B M C Durfee High | Sutton High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
11.3 |
12.6 |
13.1Highest |
| 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.