Compare towns
Sutton vs Wakefield vs Canton vs Oxford
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%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Oxford has the most affordable homes ($375k 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 | Wakefield | Canton | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452Lowest |
27,793Highest |
24,748 |
13,385 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
42±2.8Lowest 5% above MA |
| Sutton and Canton 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% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Oxford 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% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Sutton 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% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Oxford and Canton 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 |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$103,862±$10kLowest about the MA average |
| Sutton and Canton 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 |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$374,900±$18kLowest 33% below MA |
| Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,177±$142Lowest 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763 13% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
$4,622Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Oxford and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
82.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
33 min 14% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #245 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Oxford |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Canton High | Oxford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
10.7 |
13.1Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.