Compare towns
Upton vs Avon vs Sturbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Avon has the most people working from home (33.7%).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k 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 | Upton | Avon | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
18,946Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.3±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% 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 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Avon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
73.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Avon and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$154,058±$13k 91% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kLowest 69% above U.S. |
| Upton and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$479,700±$20k 44% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,857±$151Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 169% above U.S. |
$9,371Highest 200% above U.S. |
$6,520Lowest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.6%±11.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Avon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #31 of 149 in CT | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Avon School District · Capitol Region Education Council | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Avon High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.7Highest |
7.7Lowest |
| 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.