Compare towns
Paxton vs Sutton vs Townsend vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paxton has the most homeowners (91.8%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Sutton | Townsend | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,002Lowest |
9,452Highest |
9,100 |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88 21% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129 19% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$6,031Lowest about the MA average |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Paxton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Sutton | North Middlesex | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.