Compare towns
Kingston vs Upton vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kingston has the most renters (16.4% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($499k 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 | Kingston | Upton | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,910Lowest |
8,189Highest |
8,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±3.4 26% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
51.5±1.8Highest 29% above MA |
| Sterling and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4 MA: 17.9% |
| Kingston and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Sterling and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $150,886±$30k 45% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$129,063±$27kLowest 24% above MA |
| Upton and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $589,900±$36kHighest 5% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$498,800±$48kLowest 11% below MA |
| Kingston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$539 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,699±$161Highest 4% below MA |
| Sterling and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,660Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,757 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
46%±23.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Kingston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
34 minLowest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.3%±5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Sterling 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 | #99 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #135 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wachusett |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.