Compare towns
Acushnet vs Sturbridge vs Upton vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acushnet has the most renters (14.7% rent).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Leicester has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
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 | Acushnet | Sturbridge | Upton | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,624 |
9,960 |
8,189Lowest |
11,113Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.8 15% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
42.4±3.5Lowest 6% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Acushnet and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Leicester and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,503±$9kLowest 14% below MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$105,173±$9k about the MA average |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,400±$34k 22% below MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$413,100±$23kLowest 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$354 34% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA |
| Leicester and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,647 22% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,452Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.4%±15.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Acushnet and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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 | #118 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #222 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acushnet | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Leicester |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Leicester High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
11.2Highest |
10.7 |
| 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.