Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Dedham vs Upton vs Millis
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).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Dedham | Upton | Millis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
25,237Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,888 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
46.4±3 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% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest 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% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Dedham 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% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham 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±$15k 32% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
| Millis and Upton 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 |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
| Dedham and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% 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 |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Dedham | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Millis |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Dedham High | Blackstone Valley | Millis High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
10.4 |
11.2Highest |
10.7 |
| 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.