Compare towns
Douglas vs Sturbridge vs Lancaster 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).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Sturbridge | Lancaster | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
9,960Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Sturbridge 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 |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above 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 |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster 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 |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Lancaster 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 |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Nashoba | Sutton |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
7.7 |
— | 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.