Compare towns
Douglas vs Peabody 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).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% 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 | Peabody | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
54,695Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Peabody and Sutton 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% |
18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Sutton 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% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Peabody 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 |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% 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±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Peabody and Douglas 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 |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Sutton 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% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Peabody | Sutton |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
10.3 |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.