Compare towns
Lancaster vs Sutton vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Lancaster | Sutton | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| 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%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below 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 | $519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| 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 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Sutton | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.