What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).

Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sturbridge	Hingham
People
Population	9,960Lowest	24,283Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.2±2.6Lowest 18% above MA	48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA
	Hingham and Sturbridge 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%	23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%
	Hingham 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%	26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	76.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Sturbridge and Hingham 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	$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA	$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA	$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,520Lowest 9% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8%
	Hingham and Sturbridge 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%	4.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA	1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 30% above MA	36 minLowest 24% above MA
Work from home	19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#89 of 282 in MA	#14 of 282 in MA
School district	Sturbridge · Tantasqua	Hingham
High school in town	Tantasqua Regional Sr High	Hingham High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.7Lowest	12.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.