Compare towns
Gloucester vs Sturbridge vs Sutton vs Barnstable Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gloucester has the most renters (36.1% rent).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Barnstable Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.2%).
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 | Gloucester | Sturbridge | Sutton | Barnstable Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 30,075 |
9,960 |
9,452Lowest |
49,568Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
49.1±1.9 23% above MA |
| Gloucester and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Gloucester and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Barnstable Town and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$91,982±$6k 12% below MA |
| Sutton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,600±$18k 7% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$602,500±$14kHighest 7% above MA |
| Barnstable Town and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,411±$94 20% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,917±$127Highest 9% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,152 about the MA average |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$3,975Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Barnstable Town and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
25 min 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Sturbridge 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 | #164 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #189 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gloucester | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton | Barnstable |
| High school in town | Gloucester High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School | Barnstable High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
7.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
10.6 |
| 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.