Compare towns
Sutton vs Gray vs Millbury vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Millbury has the most renters (24.6% rent).
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 | Gray | Millbury | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
8,429Lowest |
13,961Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
42.6±3.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Millbury 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Millbury and Lancaster 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Millbury 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 82% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$118,790±$13k 47% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$450,100±$19k 35% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,623±$232 15% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763 117% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,406 73% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #202 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Millbury | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Millbury Junior/Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
12.5 |
11.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.