Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Beverly 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 ($426k median).
Beverly has the most renters (39.9% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Beverly | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,960 |
42,665Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
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 | 20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton 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±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,771±$106Highest about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
$6,836 14% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% MA: 62.5% |
60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Beverly 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Beverly | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Beverly High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
12.2Highest |
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.