Compare towns
Greenfield vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs Clinton
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Clinton has the youngest population (median age 38.6).
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 | Clinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,664Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
15,563 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.1Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below 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%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±2.5Lowest 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%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton and Sutton 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 |
$89,781±$10k 14% below 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 |
$387,300±$19k 31% 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 |
$1,402±$76 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,769 20% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$4,654Lowest 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.2%±7.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4Lowest 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% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.7%Lowest 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 |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 40% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
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% |
14.2%±4.2 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 | #246 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Greenfield | Nashoba | Sutton | Clinton |
| High school in town | Greenfield High | None in town | Sutton High School | Clinton Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 12.6 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.