Compare towns
Sutton vs Mount Desert vs Lancaster
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 highest household income ($147k).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Mount Desert | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452Highest |
1,671Lowest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kLowest 56% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763 117% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Mount Desert Public Schools | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.