Compare towns
Douglas vs Sutton vs Winchester vs Hanson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
Hanson has the youngest population (median age 42.8).
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 | Sutton | Winchester | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
9,452 |
10,284 |
10,660Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
42.8±3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hanson 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Hanson 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 89% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$132,200±$10k 64% above U.S. |
| 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 41% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| Hanson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Hanson and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338 103% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,780Lowest 53% above U.S. |
$6,402 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #97 of 149 in CT | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Sutton | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Sutton High School | Northwestern Regional High School | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
12.6 |
9.7 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.