Compare towns
Bow vs Sturbridge vs Upton vs Stratham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Upton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1981).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
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 | Bow | Sturbridge | Upton | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
9,960Highest |
8,189 |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% 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 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kLowest 69% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,520Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Upton 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
7.7Lowest |
11.2 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.