Compare towns
Spencer vs Sutton vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Spencer | Sutton | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,008 |
9,452Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
47.8±5.6 20% above MA |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Spencer and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,533±$11k 23% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$78,480±$8kLowest 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,000±$22k 32% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$161 39% below MA |
$1,190±$401Highest 32% below MA |
$1,075±$103Lowest 39% below MA |
| Sutton and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,387Lowest 27% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Palmer Town and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 15%±7.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Spencer 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 | #261 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Spencer-E Brookfield | Sutton | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | David Prouty High | Sutton High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.6Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.