Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Sutton vs Webster vs Burlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pinehurst has the most homeowners (97.4%).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Pinehurst | Sutton | Webster | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
9,452 |
17,748 |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2 7% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Pinehurst and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2% MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27k 41% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
| Sutton and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316 5% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$6,165 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Burlington and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Burlington 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 | — | #105 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Sutton | Webster | Burlington |
| High school in town | — | Sutton High School | Bartlett High School | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
11.6 |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.