Compare towns
Pelham vs Upton vs Sutton vs Amherst Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Amherst Town has the youngest population (median age 21.4).
Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Pelham | Upton | Sutton | Amherst Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,335Lowest |
8,189 |
9,452 |
38,182Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45±8.4 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
21.4±0.2Lowest 47% below MA |
| Upton and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
7.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
10.1%±1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
59.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24k 9% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$66,968±$7kLowest 36% below 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 | $447,600±$33kLowest 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$484,900±$21k 14% 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 | $1,205±$560 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,671±$93Highest 5% below MA |
| Amherst Town and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,472 25% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$8,787Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amherst Town and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
23.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
44.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
| Work from home | 32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
21%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #58 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sutton | Amherst · Amherst-Pelham |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Sutton High School | Amherst Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.