Compare towns
Douglas vs Hanover vs Middleton 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 most affordable homes ($471k median).
Hanover has the most kids (26.1% under 18).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Hanover | Middleton | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
14,845Highest |
9,816 |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above 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% |
26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and Douglas 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%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$147,125±$25kLowest 42% above MA |
| Hanover and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Hanover and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,845±$341Highest 5% above MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Hanover and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$9,342Highest 56% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanover and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.5% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1978Lowest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Middleton | Sutton |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | South Shore Vocational Technical High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
10.3 |
— | 12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.