Compare towns
Greenfield vs Lancaster vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Greenfield has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Greenfield | Lancaster | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,664Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.1Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Greenfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Greenfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Sutton and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,614±$7kLowest 47% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,100±$16kLowest 53% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$67Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,769Lowest 20% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.2%±7.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.2%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 40% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 11.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | #257 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Greenfield | Nashoba | Sutton |
| High school in town | Greenfield High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.