Compare towns
Hanover 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
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($755k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Hanover | Lancaster | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,845Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Hanover and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Hanover and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,845±$341 5% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Lancaster and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,342Highest 56% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±23.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.6%±4.8Lowest 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Nashoba | Sutton |
| High school in town | South Shore Vocational Technical High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.