What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sturbridge	Reading
People
Population	9,960Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Sturbridge and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±3Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Reading 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%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Reading 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Sturbridge and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$136,759±$15kLowest 32% above MA	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,520Lowest 9% above MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42%±17.7Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Sturbridge and Reading 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%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 30% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#89 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Sturbridge · Tantasqua	Reading
High school in town	Tantasqua Regional Sr High	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.7Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.