Compare towns
Whitinsville vs Sutton vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitinsville has the most renters (40.7% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Whitinsville | Sutton | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,115Lowest |
9,452Highest |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.8±6Lowest 3% below MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
| Sutton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Whitinsville and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Whitinsville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Whitinsville and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,145±$15kLowest 8% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $449,600±$22kLowest 20% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
| Sutton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,197±$112 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,415±$180Highest 20% below MA |
| Ayer and Whitinsville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,793Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitinsville and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% 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 | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 15%±6.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Ayer 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 | — | #105 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Sutton | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Sutton High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.