Compare towns
Wayland vs Upton vs Sudbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wayland has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Sudbury has the most kids (28.5% under 18).
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 | Wayland | Upton | Sudbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,914 |
8,189Lowest |
19,306Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±1.5 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.3±2.1Lowest 6% above MA |
| Upton and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28.5%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sudbury and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
83.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Sudbury and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $224,000±$28k 115% above MA |
$155,508±$33kLowest 50% above MA |
$236,250±$17kHighest 127% above MA |
| Sudbury and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $978,400±$36k 74% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$988,900±$42kHighest 76% above MA |
| Sudbury and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,475±$603Highest 16% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,445±$895 18% below MA |
| Wayland and Sudbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376Lowest 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±16Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.8%±12.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Sudbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 35.1%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Wayland and Sudbury 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 | #18 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #15 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wayland | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Lincoln-Sudbury · Sudbury |
| High school in town | Wayland High School | Blackstone Valley | Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.2 |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.