Compare towns
Gloucester vs Sturbridge vs Stoughton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gloucester has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Stoughton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | Gloucester | Sturbridge | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,075Highest |
9,960Lowest |
29,225 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
45.7±1.9Lowest 14% above MA |
| Gloucester and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Stoughton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$104,794±$6k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,600±$18kHighest 7% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$523,800±$28k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,411±$94 20% below MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,050±$200Highest 16% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,152Lowest about the MA average |
$6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$6,215 4% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.4%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stoughton and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
33 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.4%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge and Stoughton 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 | #164 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gloucester | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Gloucester High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
7.7Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| 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.