What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northampton has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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.

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

Measure	Northampton	Sturbridge
People
Population	30,962Highest	9,960Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA	47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA
Kids under 18	16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Sturbridge and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%	19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Northampton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA	$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$429,700±$17kHighest 24% below MA	$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA
	Northampton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA	$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA
	Northampton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,680Lowest 5% below MA	$6,520Highest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%	42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Northampton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.4%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 26% below MA	38 minHighest 30% above MA
Work from home	24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Northampton 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	#159 of 282 in MA	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	Northampton High	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.