Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Bethany vs Windsor Locks
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 most people working from home (19.8%).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
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 | Bethany | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,960 |
5,288Lowest |
12,579Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
42.5±2.9 9% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sturbridge and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
58%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bethany and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$166,236±$20kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Bethany and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$418,000±$42k 26% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
— | $1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520 109% above U.S. |
$8,313Highest 167% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Windsor Locks 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 | #30 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
— | 8.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.