Compare towns
Lancaster vs Putnam vs Plainfield vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Lancaster | Putnam | Plainfield | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
7,120Lowest |
15,141Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
41.2±5.1 6% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$65,511±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$245,100±$13kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,147±$43Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$3,564Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | — | Plainfield School District | Sutton |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Plainfield High School | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.