Compare towns
Harvard vs Sturbridge vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Sturbridge has the most renters (13.7% rent).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Harvard | Sturbridge | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,927Lowest |
9,960Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7Lowest 10% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424 25% below MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
7.7Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 12 photos → | 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.