Compare towns
Foxborough vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Foxborough has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Walpole has the highest household income ($172k).
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 | Foxborough | Lancaster | Sutton | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,615 |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
26,388Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9 6% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,833±$9kLowest 11% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
| Walpole and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $606,300±$28k 8% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$687,100±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$70 5% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
| Lancaster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,275 21% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$8,523Highest 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Walpole 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 | #138 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Foxborough | Nashoba | Sutton | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Foxborough High | None in town | Sutton High School | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.