What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).

Wareham has the shortest commute (28 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sturbridge	Wareham
People
Population	9,960Lowest	23,302Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.2±2.6Lowest 18% above MA	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA
	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%±3Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Wareham 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%	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham 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	$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA
	Sturbridge and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA	$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA
	Wareham 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	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Wareham and Sturbridge 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%	6.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 30% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Sturbridge and Wareham 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	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Sturbridge · Tantasqua	Wareham
High school in town	Tantasqua Regional Sr High	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.7Lowest	8.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.