Compare towns
Harvard vs Sutton vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Harvard | Sutton | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,927Lowest |
9,452Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Sutton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Harvard and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424 25% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
| Townsend and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$6,031Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Sutton | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | Sutton High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
12.6 |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.