Compare towns
Sutton vs Mansfield vs Salem
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 homeowners (89.7%).
Mansfield has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Mansfield | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452Lowest |
23,931 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
41.4±1.3 4% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Sutton and Mansfield 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% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Salem 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% |
51.1% MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Sutton and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,803±$147 about the MA average |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
| Salem and Mansfield 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 |
$7,226Highest 21% above MA |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem 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% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Salem 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 | #60 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Mansfield | Salem |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Mansfield High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
11.1 |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.