What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hawley has the most affordable homes ($310k median).

Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hawley	Sutton
People
Population	277Lowest	9,452Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.4% MA: +7.4%
Median age	56.8±7.2Highest 42% above MA	44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA
Kids under 18	17.7%±10Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Sutton and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%	18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	52.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Sutton and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,500±$26kLowest 16% below MA	$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$309,600±$38kLowest 45% below MA	$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,190±$401 32% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,097Lowest 32% below MA	$6,763Highest 13% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50%±100Highest MA: 51.8%	47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hawley and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Highest MA: 10%	5.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94%Highest MA: 62.5%	89.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	30 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	19.3%±12.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Sutton and Hawley 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	—	#105 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Sutton
High school in town	—	Sutton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.