Compare towns
Preston vs Upton 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
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Sturbridge has the oldest population (median age 47.2).
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 | Preston | Upton | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
8,189 |
9,960Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.2±7Lowest 19% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above 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 | 18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 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+ | 23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Preston and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% 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 | $361,900±$13kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| Preston and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Preston School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.7Lowest |
| 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.