Compare towns
Middlesex vs Sutton vs Thompson vs Westford
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%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Westford has the youngest population (median age 44.1).
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 | Middlesex | Sutton | Thompson | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
9,452Highest |
9,337 |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
44.1±8.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford 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. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12k 40% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,282 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #105 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Sutton | Thompson School District | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
7.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.