What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).

Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sturbridge	Bourne
People
Population	9,960Lowest	20,323Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.2±2.6Lowest 18% above MA	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	46%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA	$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA
	Bourne and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,520Highest 9% above MA	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%	6.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 30% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Sturbridge and Bourne 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	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	Sturbridge · Tantasqua	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Tantasqua Regional Sr High	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	7.7Lowest	9.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.