Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Webster vs Whitman
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 people working from home (19.8%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k 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 | Webster | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,960Lowest |
17,748Highest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Whitman and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge and Webster 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% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Whitman 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 |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Whitman 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 |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$472,700±$12kHighest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Webster 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% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Webster | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Bartlett High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
11.6Highest |
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| 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.