Compare towns
Grafton vs Suffield vs Sutton vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Ashland has the most expensive homes ($612k median).
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 | Grafton | Suffield | Sutton | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,902Highest |
15,702 |
9,452Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
42.1±1.4 8% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Grafton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Grafton and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,484±$11k 63% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$127,539±$11k 58% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $525,300±$37k 58% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$611,700±$18kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$169 6% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,117 128% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$7,444Highest 139% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.2%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashland and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #67 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #105 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Grafton | Suffield School District | Sutton | Ashland |
| High school in town | Grafton High School | Suffield High School | Sutton High School | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
10.9Lowest |
12.6 |
14.0Highest |
| 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.