Compare towns
Brookfield vs Everett vs Sturbridge vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Brookfield | Everett | Sturbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
50,045Highest |
9,960 |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Everett and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161 42% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 15% below MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 11% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Everett | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Everett High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
7.7Lowest |
11.2 |
| 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.