Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Whitman vs Millis 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 affordable homes ($426k median).
Whitman has the most renters (28.6% rent).
Millis has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Whitman | Millis | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
15,295Highest |
8,888 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±3 16% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Millis 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% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Whitman 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% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Millis 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% MA: 47.3% |
31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Whitman and Millis 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 |
$108,933±$14kLowest 5% above MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Millis 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±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Whitman and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520 9% above MA |
$5,824Lowest about the MA average |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Whitman-Hanson | Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town | Millis High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
— | 10.7 |
11.2Highest |
| 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.