Compare towns
Sutton vs Gardner vs Dudley
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 highest household income ($147k).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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 | Gardner | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452Lowest |
21,148Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Sutton and Gardner 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% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dudley 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% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley 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 |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #105 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Gardner | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Gardner High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Lowest |
13.5 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.