Compare towns
Southwick vs Sutton vs Upton vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southwick has the most affordable homes ($398k median).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Shirley has the most renters (22.6% rent).
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 | Southwick | Sutton | Upton | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,217 |
9,452Highest |
8,189 |
6,976Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±1.8Highest 17% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44.3±3.4Lowest 11% above MA |
| Southwick and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Southwick and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $120,462±$16kLowest 16% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$122,365±$16k 18% above 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 | $397,500±$27kLowest 29% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$427,600±$36k 24% 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 | $1,332±$72 24% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,481±$421Highest 16% below MA |
| Shirley and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,331 11% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,156Lowest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±10 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Shirley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #211 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Southwick Regional School | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.2 |
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| 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.