What stands out worked out from the figures below

Framingham has the most expensive homes ($627k median).

Sturbridge has the most homeowners (86.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Framingham	Sturbridge
People
Population	72,399Highest	9,960Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA	47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA
Kids under 18	21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%	20.7%±3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Framingham and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%	49.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Framingham and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA	$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$627,300±$10kHighest 12% above MA	$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA	$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,884Highest 15% above MA	$6,520Lowest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%	42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Framingham and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 4% above MA	38 minHighest 30% above MA
Work from home	19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%
	Sturbridge and Framingham 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	#229 of 282 in MA	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	Framingham High School	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.