Compare towns
Gardner vs Millbury vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Millbury has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Gardner | Millbury | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
13,961 |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.6±3.1Lowest 7% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Millbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Millbury and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$118,790±$13k 14% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,623±$232Highest 8% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Millbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$5,406 10% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Millbury | Sutton |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Millbury Junior/Senior High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.3Lowest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.