What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).

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	Bourne	Sturbridge
People
Population	20,323Highest	9,960Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA	47.2±2.6Lowest 18% above MA
Kids under 18	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Lowest MA: 47.3%	49.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA	$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average	$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA	$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA
	Bourne and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA	$6,520Highest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%	42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 11% below MA	38 minHighest 30% above MA
Work from home	14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%
	Sturbridge and Bourne 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	#206 of 282 in MA	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.