Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Fall River 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
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 | Fall River | Upton | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
94,082Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% 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% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest 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%±3 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Fall River 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 |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% 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±$18k 24% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster 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 |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520 9% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% 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% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%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 |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 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% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | B M C Durfee High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
11.2 |
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| 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.