Compare towns
Mapleton vs Douglas vs Sturbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Douglas | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
9,207 |
9,960Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sturbridge and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sturbridge and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Douglas | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
7.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.