Compare towns
Webster vs Sutton vs Smithfield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Smithfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
9,452Lowest |
22,233Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Webster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Webster | Sutton | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Sutton High School | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.