Compare towns
Hancock vs Sturbridge vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Hancock | Sturbridge | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,518Lowest |
9,960Highest |
2,769 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.3±6.4 45% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Lowest 21% above U.S. |
58.1±6.6Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Thomaston and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.5%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thomaston and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,285±$5k 10% below U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$56,435±$13kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,800±$51k 17% below U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$271,700±$10kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,171±$65Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Thomaston and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,869Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,487 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±15.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.5%±23.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thomaston and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 48% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 133 in ME | #89 of 282 in MA | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hancock Public Schools | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.