Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Warwick vs Westminster vs Upton
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 renters (13.7% rent).
Warwick has the most affordable homes ($349k median).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k 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 | Warwick | Westminster | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960Highest |
776Lowest |
8,374 |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
0%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
| Warwick and Westminster 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% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Westminster 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% |
23.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Warwick 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% |
40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Warwick 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 |
$93,333±$22kLowest 10% below MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% 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±$18k 24% below MA |
$349,400±$34kLowest 38% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,367±$163 22% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520 9% above MA |
$4,380Lowest 27% below MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster 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% |
5%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 min 30% above MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Warwick 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 | — | #112 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Warwick | Ashburnham-Westminster | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town | Oakmont Regional High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
11.2 |
| 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.