Compare towns
Springfield vs Sutton vs Lancaster vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Springfield | Sutton | Lancaster | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
9,452 |
8,606Lowest |
20,904 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$84,838±$7k 18% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$335,300±$10k 40% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,223±$82 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,918 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
77.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 31% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Sutton | Nashoba | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Sutton High School | None in town | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.6Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.