Compare towns
Raynham vs Sturbridge vs Upton vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Raynham has the most renters (21.9% rent).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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.
| Measure | Raynham | Sturbridge | Upton | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,505Highest |
9,960 |
8,189Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.5Lowest 7% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.2±2.1 8% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Raynham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,012±$16k 19% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$112,828±$11kLowest 9% above MA |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $524,400±$29k 7% below MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
| Upton and Raynham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$74 about the MA average |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,974±$586Highest 12% above MA |
| Lunenburg and Raynham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,752 13% above MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,401Lowest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.1%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Raynham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 25% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 minLowest 22% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #190 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bridgewater-Raynham | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
11.2 |
12.4Highest |
| 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.