Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Bow vs Upton vs Millis
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 affordable homes ($426k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Millis has the most expensive homes ($604k 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 | Bow | Upton | Millis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960Highest |
8,335 |
8,189Lowest |
8,888 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
46.4±3 19% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Millis and Upton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $136,759±$15kLowest 69% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$155,996±$9k 93% above U.S. |
| Bow and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$603,500±$31kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,696±$279Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Millis and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$9,344 200% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Millis and Upton 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #46 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Bow School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Millis |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Bow High School | Blackstone Valley | Millis High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.2 |
10.7 |
| 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.