Compare towns
Sutton vs Douglas vs Gardner 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 most homeowners (89.7%).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Douglas | Gardner | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
9,207Lowest |
21,148Highest |
19,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Sutton and Douglas 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% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Grafton and Douglas 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% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Sutton 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% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 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 |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$131,484±$11k 26% above MA |
| Douglas 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 |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$525,300±$37kHighest 7% below MA |
| Grafton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,504±$169Highest 15% below MA |
| Grafton and Douglas 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 |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,117Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner 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% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Grafton 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Douglas | Gardner | Grafton |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Douglas High School | Gardner High | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
7.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.