Compare towns
Lee vs Upton vs Sturbridge vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Lee | Upton | Sturbridge | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,576Lowest |
8,189 |
9,960 |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below 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 | 21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kLowest 54% above 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 | $480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
| Upton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
| Durham and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661 210% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$6,520Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Upton 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #46 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
7.7Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 10 photos → | None yet | None yet | 51 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.