Compare towns
Deep River vs Sturbridge vs Bethlehem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deep River has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Bethlehem has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
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 | Deep River | Sturbridge | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,458 |
9,960Highest |
3,423Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.2±5.6Lowest 19% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
51.5±8.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Deep River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bethlehem and Deep River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,253±$19kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$108,929±$16k 35% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$26kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$410,900±$36k 24% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$185Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,127±$124Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Deep River and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,092 95% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$5,932Lowest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±22.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.7%±38.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bethlehem and Deep River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.2%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Deep River 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 | #70 of 149 in CT | #89 of 282 in MA | #82 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Deep River School District · Regional School District 04 | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Regional School District 14 |
| High school in town | Valley Regional High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Highest |
7.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.