Compare towns
Gray vs Sturbridge vs Upton vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Sturbridge has the oldest population (median age 47.2).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Gray | Sturbridge | Upton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
9,960 |
8,189Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 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+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% 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 | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
7.7Lowest |
11.2 |
12.1 |
| 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.