Compare towns
Mendon vs Sturbridge vs Sutton vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sturbridge has the most renters (13.7% rent).
Sutton has the youngest population (median age 44.3).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Mendon | Sturbridge | Sutton | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
9,960Highest |
9,452 |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Sutton 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 | — | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.