Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Bourne vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($418k median).
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
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 | Sturbridge | Bourne | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,443Lowest |
20,323Highest |
3,378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±6.8Lowest 20% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
49.7±2.8 24% above MA |
| Bourne and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±7.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±3.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,568±$34kHighest 27% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$121,336±$12k 17% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,400±$29kLowest 26% below MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
| Berlin and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$225 14% above MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Berlin and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,410 7% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,116Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.1%±19.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 14%±9.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | — | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.