Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Upton vs Brooklyn vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sturbridge has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k median).
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 | Upton | Brooklyn | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,443Lowest |
8,189 |
8,517Highest |
3,378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +10.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±6.8 23% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
49.7±2.8Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Berlin 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±7.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.1%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Upton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,568±$34k 63% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$121,336±$12k 50% 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 | $418,400±$29k 26% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$616,600±$55kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$225 42% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$2,420±$933Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,410 106% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,116 128% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.1%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±19.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 min 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±9.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.1%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berlin 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Brooklyn School District | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.