Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Fall River vs Southbridge Town
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 people working from home (19.8%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Southbridge Town has the most affordable homes ($295k 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 | Fall River | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,960Lowest |
94,082Highest |
17,928 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±2.4 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Southbridge Town 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% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge and Fall River 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% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
19.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Southbridge Town 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 |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$66,287±$8k 36% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA |
| Southbridge Town 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 |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Southbridge Town and Fall River 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
15.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
42.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Southbridge |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | B M C Durfee High | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.