Compare towns
Harvard vs Sutton vs Townsend vs Upton
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).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,927Lowest |
9,452Highest |
9,100 |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Harvard 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%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424 25% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% 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 |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| 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% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% 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 |
1981Highest 17 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 |
35 min 22% 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% |
22.8%±5.3 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 | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Sutton | North Middlesex | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | Sutton High School | North Middlesex Regional | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
12.6 |
13.1Highest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.