Compare towns
Webster vs Hanson vs Sutton vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Hanson has the most expensive homes ($534k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Hanson | Sutton | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,660 |
9,452 |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
| Sutton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Douglas and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Hanson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
| Hanson and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$6,402 7% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Douglas 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Whitman-Hanson | Sutton | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Whitman Hanson Regional | Sutton High School | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
14.7Highest |
12.6 |
7.2Lowest |
| 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.