Compare towns
Millbury vs Petersham vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millbury has the most renters (24.6% rent).
Petersham has the oldest population (median age 56.3).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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.
| Measure | Millbury | Petersham | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,961Highest |
1,185Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.1Lowest 7% above MA |
56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Millbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Millbury and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,790±$13k 14% above MA |
$110,750±$20kLowest 7% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
$392,400±$20kLowest 30% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,623±$232 8% below MA |
$1,679±$441Highest 5% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Petersham and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,406 10% below MA |
$4,636Lowest 23% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Sutton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Petersham 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 | #202 of 282 in MA | — | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millbury | Petersham | Sutton |
| High school in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.