Compare towns
Sutton vs Mendon vs Springfield vs Douglas
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 the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Springfield | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
6,325Lowest |
154,749Highest |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
44±2.6 10% 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%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Mendon 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% |
14.7%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Douglas 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% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Springfield and Mendon 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 42% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Douglas and Sutton 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 |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
| Mendon and Douglas 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 |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Springfield 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% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985 21 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
30 min 4% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Douglas 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Mendon-Upton | Springfield | Douglas |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | None in town | Springfield Central High | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | 12.2 |
7.2Lowest |
| 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.