Compare towns
Dummerston vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
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 | Dummerston | Lancaster | Sutton | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
8,606 |
9,452Highest |
1,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Middlesex 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Nashoba | Sutton | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
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| 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.