Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Sutton vs Williston vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Williston | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
9,452 |
10,144Highest |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Lancaster 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Sturbridge 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 69% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
| 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 28% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520 109% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.