Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Douglas vs Boylston
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).
Douglas has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Douglas | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,443Lowest |
9,207Highest |
4,948 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±6.8 20% above MA |
44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
| Boylston and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±7.8 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Sturbridge 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% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±3.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,568±$34kLowest 27% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$140,962±$28k 36% above MA |
| Douglas and Boylston 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 |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$225 14% above MA |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Boylston 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 |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.1%±19.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Boylston and Douglas 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% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 14%±9.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Douglas 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Douglas | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | — | Douglas High School | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.