Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Windham vs Upton vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 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.
| Measure | Sturbridge | Windham | Upton | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,960 |
16,038Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $136,759±$15kLowest 69% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
| Windham 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 28% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Sutton 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #46 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Windham School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sutton |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Windham High School | Blackstone Valley | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.2 |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.