Compare towns
Sutton vs Ipswich 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 people working from home (22.7%).
Ipswich has the most expensive homes ($745k median).
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 | Ipswich | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452Lowest |
13,930Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±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% |
21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Ipswich 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% MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Ipswich 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 |
$138,750±$16k 33% above MA |
$136,759±$15kLowest 32% above MA |
| Sutton and Ipswich 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 |
$745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,598±$90Highest 9% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Ipswich and Sturbridge 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 |
$7,960Highest 33% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ipswich and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7% 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 |
1964Lowest same as 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% |
18.9%±3.8Lowest 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 | #101 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Ipswich | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Ipswich High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
9.0 |
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.