What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bath has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bath	Sturbridge
People
Population	8,815Lowest	9,960Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S.	47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S.
	Sturbridge and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Sturbridge and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bath and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bath and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S.	$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S.	$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S.	$1,193±$398Highest 16% below U.S.
	Sturbridge and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S.	$6,520Highest 109% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bath and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.	38 minHighest 43% above U.S.
Work from home	19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sturbridge and Bath 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	#31 of 133 in ME	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	RSU 01 - LKRSU	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	Morse High School	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.