Compare towns
Sutton vs Sharon vs Upton vs Wilbraham
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%).
Sharon has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Wilbraham has the most affordable homes ($416k 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 | Sharon | Upton | Wilbraham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
18,574Highest |
8,189Lowest |
14,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+5.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
42.5±1Lowest 6% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.3±2.7 11% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Upton 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% |
17.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
23%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wilbraham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8% MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
51.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wilbraham and Sharon 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 |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$122,051±$14kLowest 17% above MA |
| Sharon and Upton 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 |
$737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$416,000±$25kLowest 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,175±$241 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763 13% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$6,658Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
53.1%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wilbraham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon and Upton 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 | #23 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #88 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Sharon | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Sharon High | Blackstone Valley | Minnechaug Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
11.9 |
11.2Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| 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.