Compare towns
Sterling vs Glocester vs Upton vs Voluntown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Glocester has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Voluntown 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 | Sterling | Glocester | Upton | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,629 |
10,221Highest |
8,189 |
2,604Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
48.3±1.7 24% above U.S. |
| Glocester and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Glocester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Glocester and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$113,508±$7k 41% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$101,964±$25kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$396,500±$28k 19% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$356,100±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,417±$627Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,166±$191 17% below U.S. |
| Glocester and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,248 68% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,955 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±24.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Glocester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Glocester 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #12 of 38 in RI | #46 of 282 in MA | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sterling School District | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ponaganset High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.