Compare towns
Princeton vs Sturbridge vs Paxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Princeton has the highest household income ($159k).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Paxton has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Princeton | Sturbridge | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,529Lowest |
9,960Highest |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.1±7 15% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Princeton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±3.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Princeton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,750±$46kHighest 53% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$134,083±$8kLowest 29% above MA |
| Princeton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $520,500±$48kHighest 7% below MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
| Princeton and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $897±$852Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,386±$88Highest 21% below MA |
| Paxton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,633 11% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,129Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.8%±46.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Princeton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 25% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.5%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Princeton and Paxton 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 | #59 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.