Compare towns
Townsend vs Sterling vs Uxbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most homeowners (82%).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Uxbridge has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Townsend | Sterling | Uxbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
3,629Lowest |
14,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.7±2.8Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Uxbridge and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Uxbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$124,725±$7kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Uxbridge and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$441,100±$25kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Uxbridge and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
— | $1,555±$265Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Uxbridge and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,836 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.6%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
35 minLowest 34% above U.S. |
37 min 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Uxbridge and Sterling 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT | #183 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Sterling School District | Uxbridge |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Uxbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.