What stands out worked out from the figures below

New Bedford has the most renters (59.7% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	New Bedford	Sutton
People
Population	100,998Highest	9,452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA	44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA
Kids under 18	23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	New Bedford and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Sutton and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17%Lowest MA: 47.3%	52.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9%	3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	New Bedford and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA	$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA	$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA	$1,190±$401Highest 32% below MA
	Sutton and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,338Lowest 28% below MA	$6,763Highest 13% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8%	47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	New Bedford and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.6%Highest MA: 10%	5.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	89.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 15% below MA	30 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#263 of 282 in MA	#105 of 282 in MA
School district	New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical	Sutton
High school in town	New Bedford High	Sutton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	12.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.