What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marlborough has the most expensive homes ($513k median).

Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).

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	Marlborough	Sutton
People
Population	41,647Highest	2,239Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.5±1.3Lowest 4% below U.S.	48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.8%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	20.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Marlborough and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.9%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sutton and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sutton and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,968±$9kLowest 14% above U.S.	$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S.
	Sutton and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$513,100±$28kHighest 54% above U.S.	$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,871±$123Highest 32% above U.S.	$1,656±$614Lowest 17% above U.S.
	Marlborough and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,747Lowest 84% above U.S.	$7,652Highest 145% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Marlborough and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 13% above U.S.	29 minLowest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	16.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Marlborough 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	#215 of 282 in MA	—
School district	Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough	Kearsarge Regional School District
High school in town	Assabet Valley Vocational High School	Kearsarge Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1Lowest	10.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.