Compare towns
Hadley vs Stow vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
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 | Hadley | Stow | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
7,165 |
9,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Hadley and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Stow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #116 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Nashoba | Sutton |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
— | 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.