Compare towns
Sutton vs Webster vs Lancaster vs Millbury
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).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Webster | Lancaster | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
12,228 |
8,606Lowest |
13,961Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
42.6±3.1 7% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster 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% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Millbury 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% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Millbury 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% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Millbury 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 |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$118,790±$13k 14% 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 |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$450,100±$19k 20% 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±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,623±$232 8% below MA |
| Lancaster and Millbury 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 |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$5,406 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
75.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | — | Nashoba | Millbury |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | — | None in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | — | 11.3Lowest |
| 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.