Compare towns
Dummerston vs Middlesex vs Sturbridge vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Westford has the youngest population (median age 44.1).
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 | Dummerston | Middlesex | Sturbridge | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
1,943Lowest |
9,960Highest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.1±8.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12k 40% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$6,282 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dummerston and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Dummerston 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 | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.