Compare towns
Paxton vs Nashua vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
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 | Paxton | Nashua | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,002Lowest |
91,294Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8k 66% above U.S. |
$96,326±$5kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,300±$29k 42% above U.S. |
$403,900±$11kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,799 118% above U.S. |
$6,763Lowest 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±4.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sutton and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Paxton 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 | #219 of 282 in MA | #67 of 120 in NH | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Nashua School District | Sutton |
| High school in town | None in town | Nashua High School South | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.