Compare towns
Webster vs Sutton vs Southbridge Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Southbridge Town has the most affordable homes ($295k 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 | Webster | Sutton | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
9,452Lowest |
17,928Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
40.9±2.4 about the MA average |
| Sutton and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
19.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$66,287±$8k 36% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA |
| Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Southbridge Town and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
15.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Sutton | Southbridge |
| High school in town | — | Sutton High School | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.