Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Sutton vs Wakefield vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Sturbridge | Sutton | Wakefield | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
9,452 |
27,793Highest |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% 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 | $425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 14% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Wakefield 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
10.7 |
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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.