Compare towns
Sutton vs Harvard vs Plainville
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 most homeowners (89.7%).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
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 | Harvard | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452 |
6,927Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7Lowest 13% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Harvard and Sutton 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #105 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sutton | Harvard | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | The Bromfield High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
11.0Lowest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.