Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Upton vs Gardner vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Upton | Gardner | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
8,189Lowest |
21,148Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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 |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster and Sturbridge 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 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% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gardner | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Gardner High | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
11.2 |
13.5 |
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.