Compare towns
Salisbury vs Sturbridge vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Salisbury | Sturbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,224Lowest |
9,960Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±9.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% 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 | 19.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest 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+ | 28.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,256±$26kLowest 54% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% 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 | $763,700±$121kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,846±$736Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,125Lowest 64% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.2%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | #19 of 149 in CT | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salisbury School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| 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.