Compare towns
Freetown vs Sutton vs Rutland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freetown has the most renters (13.9% rent).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Rutland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
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 | Freetown | Sutton | Rutland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285Lowest |
9,452Highest |
9,353 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
41.4±2.5 4% above MA |
| Sutton and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.4%±5.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rutland and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rutland and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,884±$15kLowest 38% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$145,707±$28k 40% above MA |
| Sutton and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $518,200±$30k 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$462,800±$33kLowest 18% below MA |
| Sutton and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,078±$170Lowest 39% below MA |
| Freetown and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188Lowest 13% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$5,657 6% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
47.8%±26.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rutland and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1990Highest 26 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±5 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Rutland 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 | #161 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #150 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Sutton | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.