Compare towns
Sutton vs Fairhaven vs Sturbridge
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 expensive homes ($523k median).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Fairhaven | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452Lowest |
15,903Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
| Fairhaven 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% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest 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%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven 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% |
32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% 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 | $523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,193±$398Highest 32% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Fairhaven 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% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Sturbridge 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 | #126 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Fairhaven | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Fairhaven High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
11.4 |
7.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.