Compare towns
Natick vs Suffield vs Cochituate vs Canton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Natick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Cochituate has the most people working from home (36.9%).
Canton has the youngest population (median age 42.6).
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 | Natick | Suffield | Cochituate | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,873Highest |
15,702 |
6,471Lowest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.4 11% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Cochituate and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Cochituate and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Natick and Cochituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
77%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Natick and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $138,538±$11k 72% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$192,361±$18kHighest 138% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,000±$25k 147% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$906,300±$42kHighest 172% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,134±$124 51% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,582±$649 12% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Canton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,914 186% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±6.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.2%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.1%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | — | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Natick | Suffield School District | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Natick High | Suffield High School | — | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
10.9Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| 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.