Compare towns
Sutton vs Saugus vs Lancaster 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 highest household income ($147k).
Saugus has the most renters (28.5% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
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 | Saugus | Lancaster | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
28,773Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Saugus 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% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 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% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus and Lancaster 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% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Sturbridge 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 |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
| Sutton and Sturbridge 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 |
$603,400±$13kHighest 7% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,241±$201 27% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Lancaster and Saugus 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 |
$6,049Lowest about the MA average |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #194 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Saugus | Nashoba | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Saugus High | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
15.5Highest |
— | 7.7Lowest |
| 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.