Compare towns
Sutton vs Devens vs Sturbridge vs Lancaster
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 most homeowners (89.7%).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Sutton | Devens | Sturbridge | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
1,723Lowest |
9,960Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Devens and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 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+ | 52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Sturbridge 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 |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
| Devens and Sutton 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 |
$556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Devens and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763 13% above MA |
$5,556Lowest 7% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Devens 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | — | #89 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | 7.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.