Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Middlesex vs Southbridge Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Southbridge Town has the most renters (57.3% rent).
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 | Middlesex | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,960 |
1,943Lowest |
17,928Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
40.9±2.4Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Southbridge Town and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$66,287±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$294,800±$18kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,256±$79 11% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.8%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Southbridge Town 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Southbridge |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
— | 9.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.