Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Middleton vs Upton vs Westminster
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 renters (13.7% rent).
Middleton has the most expensive homes ($743k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Middleton | Upton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960Highest |
9,816 |
8,189Lowest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Sturbridge 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% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Westminster 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% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Upton 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% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Middleton 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 |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average |
| Middleton and Upton 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 |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster and Middleton 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 |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Middleton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
13.6Highest |
| 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.