Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Ware 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
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Ware | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,960Lowest |
10,048 |
17,928Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
40.9±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Sturbridge and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Southbridge Town and Sturbridge 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
19.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Southbridge Town 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±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$66,287±$8kLowest 36% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$294,800±$18k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA |
| Southbridge Town and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±8.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
15.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Ware | Southbridge |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
11.1Highest |
9.8 |
| 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.