Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Bourne vs Upton vs Lancaster
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).
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Bourne | Upton | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
20,323Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 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%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3% MA: 47.3% |
46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 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±$15k 32% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% 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 |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Upton and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520 9% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
6.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
9.8 |
11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.