Compare towns
Sutton vs Woonsocket vs Rowley vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
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 | Woonsocket | Rowley | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
43,521Highest |
6,251Lowest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
50±6.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
| Rowley and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rowley 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
56.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Rowley 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 82% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$132,734±$32k 64% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
| 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±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$667,300±$52kHighest 101% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,603±$520 13% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763 117% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±27.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #214 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Triton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Woonsocket High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Lowest |
15.2Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.