Compare towns
Paxton vs Sutton vs Ware vs Leicester
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 people working from home (25.5%).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Leicester has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Ware | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,002Lowest |
9,452 |
10,048 |
11,113Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
42.4±3.5 6% above MA |
| Sutton and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Leicester and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.9%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Leicester 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$105,173±$9k about the MA average |
| 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 16% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$413,100±$23k 27% below MA |
| 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 21% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA |
| Leicester and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129Highest 19% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,452 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±14.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Sutton 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #222 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Sutton | Ware | Leicester |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Leicester High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
11.1 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.