Compare towns
Sutton vs Mendon vs Gardner vs Millbury
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%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Millbury has the youngest population (median age 42.6).
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 | Mendon | Gardner | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
6,325Lowest |
21,148Highest |
13,961 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.6±3.1Lowest 7% above MA |
| Sutton and Mendon 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Millbury 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Millbury and Gardner 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% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Gardner 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 |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$118,790±$13k 14% above MA |
| Sutton and Mendon 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 |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,623±$232 8% below MA |
| Mendon and Millbury 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 |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$5,406 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
30 min 4% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Mendon 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Mendon-Upton | Gardner | Millbury |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | None in town | Gardner High | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | 13.5Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.