Compare towns
Gill vs Sturbridge vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gill has the most affordable homes ($340k median).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Sheffield has the oldest population (median age 48.2).
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 | Gill | Sturbridge | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,740Lowest |
9,960Highest |
3,330 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
48.2±8Highest 21% above MA |
| Sheffield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±8.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sheffield and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±4.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,208±$14kLowest 13% below MA |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$92,120±$31k 11% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$17kLowest 39% below MA |
$425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA |
$409,400±$32k 27% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$246Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,837±$1kHighest 4% above MA |
| Sheffield and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,318Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$4,520 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Gill and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 29% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±8 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge and Gill 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 | #250 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gill-Montague | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Mt Everett Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
7.8Highest |
| 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.