Compare towns
Newton vs Sutton vs Wellesley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newton has the most renters (30% rent).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Wellesley has the highest household income ($250k).
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 | Newton | Sutton | Wellesley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 89,044Highest |
2,239Lowest |
30,347 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±0.9 8% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
37.1±2.2Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.1%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
89%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
18.3%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $190,304±$9k 136% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kLowest 61% above U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,264,900±$43k 280% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,582,700±$49kHighest 376% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,370±$81 68% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614Lowest 17% above U.S. |
$2,886±$360Highest 104% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,652Lowest 145% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±4.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wellesley and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.2%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newton and Wellesley 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 | #25 of 282 in MA | — | #6 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Newton | Kearsarge Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Newton North High | Kearsarge Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.