Compare towns
Worcester vs Sutton vs Strafford vs Elmore
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Strafford has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Elmore has the youngest population (median age 45).
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 | Worcester | Sutton | Strafford | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
2,239Highest |
1,372 |
964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
45±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±9.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Elmore and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$98,750±$24k 22% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$315,800±$47k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,225±$263 13% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$5,066 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±65.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Strafford School District | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.