What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).

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	Plainville	Sturbridge
People
Population	17,551Highest	9,960Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.5% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S.	47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S.
	Sturbridge and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Sturbridge and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Plainville and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainville and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S.	$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.	$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.	$1,193±$398Highest 16% below U.S.
	Sturbridge and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S.	$6,520Highest 109% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	42%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Sturbridge and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.	38 minHighest 43% above U.S.
Work from home	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#89 of 149 in CT	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	Plainville High School	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.