Compare towns
Princeton vs Sturbridge vs Upton vs Westminster
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 most people working from home (29.5%).
Sturbridge has the most renters (13.7% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Upton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,529Lowest |
9,960Highest |
8,189 |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.1±7Lowest 15% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Princeton 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $158,750±$46kHighest 53% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average |
| Princeton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $520,500±$48k 7% below MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
| Upton and Princeton 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 |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster 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 |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.8%±46.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Princeton and Westminster 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 25% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 29.5%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Princeton and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
11.2 |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.