Compare towns
Webster vs Sutton vs Chapman vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
Chapman has the most affordable homes ($186k median).
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 | Sutton | Chapman | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
9,452 |
388Lowest |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
45.7±11.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
| Chapman and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Chapman 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 10% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$93,125±$17k 15% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
| 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±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$185,700±$22kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
— | $1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$1,850Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sutton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | — | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Sutton | — | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Sutton High School | — | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.6Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
| 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.