What stands out worked out from the figures below

Holbrook has the youngest population (median age 42.8).

Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Holbrook	Sturbridge
People
Population	11,380Highest	9,960Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3.2Lowest 7% above MA	47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA
	Sturbridge and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.2%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4%	20.7%±3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Holbrook and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Sturbridge and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	49.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Holbrook and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$115,210±$14kLowest 11% above MA	$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA
	Sturbridge and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$465,400±$21kHighest 17% below MA	$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,094±$423Lowest 38% below MA	$1,193±$398Highest 32% below MA
	Sturbridge and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,105Lowest about the MA average	$6,520Highest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.8%±18.7Highest MA: 51.8%	42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Holbrook and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 30% above MA	38 minLowest 30% above MA
Work from home	12.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%
	Sturbridge and Holbrook 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	#234 of 282 in MA	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	Holbrook	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	Holbrook Middle High School	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.