Compare towns
New Bedford vs Sutton vs Lynn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Bedford has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | New Bedford | Sutton | Lynn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 100,998 |
9,452Lowest |
101,709Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±0.8 8% below MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lynn and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9Lowest 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% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$75,043±$3k 28% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$510,100±$23k 9% below MA |
| Sutton and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,722±$60Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,338Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$5,384 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
48.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 15% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #263 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA |
| School district | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | Sutton | Lynn |
| High school in town | New Bedford High | Sutton High School | Lynn English High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
12.6Lowest |
15.0Highest |
| 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.