Compare towns
Sutton vs Acton vs Douglas vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Sutton | Acton | Douglas | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
24,155Highest |
9,207Lowest |
19,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Acton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Grafton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$131,484±$11kLowest 26% above MA |
| Acton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$525,300±$37k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,504±$169 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763 13% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$7,117 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Acton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
6.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #105 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Acton-Boxborough | Douglas | Grafton |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Douglas High School | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
13.5Highest |
7.2Lowest |
12.9 |
| 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.