Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Sturbridge vs Upton vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunbarton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Sturbridge has the most renters (13.7% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k 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 | Dunbarton | Sturbridge | Upton | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097 |
9,960Highest |
8,189 |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 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+ | 20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21kLowest 54% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31k 61% 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 | $484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233 164% above U.S. |
$6,520Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,652 145% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
11.2Highest |
10.4 |
| 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.