Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Sturbridge vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Pittsfield | Sturbridge | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,457Highest |
9,960 |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±2Lowest 6% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA |
$1,193±$398Highest 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,148Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±5.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Pittsfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 36% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Sturbridge 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 | #251 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pittsfield | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton |
| High school in town | Taconic High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3 |
7.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.