Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Douglas
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).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Douglas |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 9,960Highest |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas 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±$15kLowest 32% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Douglas 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 |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
| Douglas and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas 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 |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sturbridge and Douglas 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% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
34 minLowest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas and Sturbridge 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 | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Douglas |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.