Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Marblehead vs Millis vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k 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 | Marblehead | Millis | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
20,413Highest |
8,888 |
3,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
49.1±2 23% above MA |
46.4±3Lowest 16% above MA |
52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
| Brookfield and Marblehead 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% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead 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% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Millis 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% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Millis 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 |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$155,996±$9k 50% above MA |
$81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
| Marblehead and Millis 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 |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
$341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,764±$147Highest about the MA average |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
$1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
| Marblehead and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520 9% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$5,092Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Brookfield 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% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Marblehead | Millis | Brookfield |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Marblehead High | Millis High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
10.7Highest |
10.7Highest |
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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.