Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Upton vs Whately
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 affordable homes ($426k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Whately has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,960Highest |
8,189 |
1,499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Whately 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% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately 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% |
47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Whately 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 |
$116,563±$15kLowest 12% above 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±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398Highest 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$977±$125 45% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Whately 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 |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Whately 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 | — |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Whately |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.