Compare towns
Kingston 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
Kingston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Kingston | Lancaster | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,027Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±3.9Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Kingston and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Kingston and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Kingston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,876±$13kLowest 15% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,159±$244Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,650Highest 28% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.5%±4.9Lowest 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 | #99 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Kingston · Silver Lake | Nashoba | Sutton |
| High school in town | Silver Lake Regional High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
— | 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.