Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Lancaster 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Millis has the most expensive homes ($604k 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 | Lancaster | Millis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,960Highest |
8,606Lowest |
8,888 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±3 16% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Millis 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Millis 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±$15k 32% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
| Millis 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 |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
| Millis and Lancaster 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 |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
| Lancaster 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 |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Nashoba | Millis |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town | Millis High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
— | 10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.