Compare towns
Dedham vs Upton vs Sturbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k 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 | Dedham | Upton | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% 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 | $661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Blackstone Valley | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
11.2Highest |
7.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.