Compare towns
Palmer Town vs Sutton vs Upton vs Brimfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Brimfield has the youngest population (median age 43.7).
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 | Palmer Town | Sutton | Upton | Brimfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,381Highest |
9,452 |
8,189 |
3,705Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.7±5.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±6 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.3%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Brimfield and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Sutton and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,480±$8kLowest 25% below MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$111,250±$22k 7% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$389,100±$27k 31% below MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,075±$103 39% below MA |
$1,190±$401Highest 32% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
$886±$365Lowest 50% below MA |
| Sutton and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,540Lowest 24% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,128 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
53.2%±25.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Brimfield and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.7%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Sutton 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 | #252 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #108 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Brimfield |
| High school in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.2 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.