Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Lancaster vs Upton
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Lancaster | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,443Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±6.8Highest 20% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% 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 | 18.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±3.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Lancaster 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 |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Lancaster 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 |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Upton and Lancaster 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 |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Lancaster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,410Lowest 7% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.1%±19.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 9% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 14%±9.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
| 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.