Compare towns
Hermon vs Sturbridge vs Upton vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Sturbridge has the oldest population (median age 47.2).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | Hermon | Sturbridge | Upton | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,727Lowest |
9,960Highest |
8,189 |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% 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 | 21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ellsworth and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below 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 | $333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
| Hermon and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,262 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hermon Public Schools | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
7.7Lowest |
11.2 |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.