Compare towns
Middlesex vs Strafford vs Sutton vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Strafford has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
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 | Middlesex | Strafford | Sutton | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
1,372Lowest |
9,452Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Lowest 108% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Strafford School District | Sutton | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
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| 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.