Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Plainfield vs Charlton
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 most people working from home (19.8%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Charlton has the most kids (24.7% under 18).
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 | Plainfield | Charlton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,960Lowest |
15,141Highest |
13,435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43±4 11% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Charlton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sturbridge and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$117,587±$8k 46% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$427,500±$19kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Charlton and Sturbridge 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. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,381±$415Highest about the U.S. average |
| Charlton and Plainfield 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. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,617 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±9.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sturbridge and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Charlton 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #133 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Plainfield School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Plainfield High School | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
10.3Highest |
9.7 |
| 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.