Compare towns
Sutton vs Ware vs Townsend vs Lancaster
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).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Ware | Townsend | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
10,048Highest |
9,100 |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| Sutton and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Sutton 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| 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 7% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster 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 |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763 13% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Ware | North Middlesex | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
11.1Lowest |
13.1Highest |
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| 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.