Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Upton vs Windham vs Brookfield
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 renters (13.7% rent).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k 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.
| Measure | Sturbridge | Upton | Windham | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
8,189 |
16,038Highest |
3,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Sturbridge 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 69% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$81,250±$37kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Upton 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. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$341,900±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,014±$161 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520 109% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,092Lowest 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Windham 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Windham School District | Brookfield |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
11.2 |
12.8Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.