Compare towns
Shirley 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
Shirley has the most renters (22.6% rent).
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 | Shirley | Sturbridge | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,976Lowest |
9,960Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.4Lowest 11% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.2Lowest 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+ | 19.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,365±$16kLowest 18% above 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 | $427,600±$36k 24% below MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,481±$421Highest 16% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Shirley and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,156Lowest 14% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Shirley and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 39% above MA |
38 min 30% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Shirley 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 | #239 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.