Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Upton vs Wareham vs Southbridge Town
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).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Upton | Wareham | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
8,189Lowest |
23,302Highest |
17,928 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
40.9±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Wareham 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% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Southbridge Town 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% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham 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% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
19.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Southbridge Town 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$66,287±$8kLowest 36% below MA |
| 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 |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,256±$79 29% below MA |
| Wareham and Southbridge Town 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 |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Southbridge Town 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
15.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wareham | Southbridge |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Wareham Senior High | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
11.2Highest |
8.6 |
9.8 |
| 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.