Compare towns
Bath vs Upton vs Sturbridge vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 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 | Bath | Upton | Sturbridge | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
8,189Lowest |
9,960Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Brewer 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Highest 16% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Blackstone Valley | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.2 |
7.7Lowest |
14.0 |
| 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.