Compare towns
Shrewsbury vs Sutton vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shrewsbury has the most people working from home (26.3%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Shrewsbury | Sutton | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,876Highest |
9,452Lowest |
19,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
41.1±1.6 about the MA average |
| Sutton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Grafton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$131,484±$11kLowest 26% above MA |
| Sutton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $592,300±$20kHighest 5% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$525,300±$37k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,504±$169 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,923 16% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$7,117Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Sutton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
6.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury 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 | #30 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Shrewsbury | Sutton | Grafton |
| High school in town | Shrewsbury High School | Sutton High School | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.4Highest |
12.6Lowest |
12.9 |
| 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.