Compare towns
Cornish vs Sturbridge vs Upton vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (96.9%).
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 | Cornish | Sturbridge | Upton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
9,960Highest |
8,189 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 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+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% 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 | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | — | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
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.