Compare towns
Brookfield vs Sturbridge vs Suffield vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Sturbridge has the most renters (13.7% rent).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k 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 | Brookfield | Sturbridge | Suffield | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
9,960 |
15,702Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Sturbridge 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 about the U.S. average |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above 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 | $341,900±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161 28% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Lowest 63% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Suffield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Suffield High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
10.9 |
11.2Highest |
| 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.