Compare towns
Upton vs Canton vs Sturbridge vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
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 | Upton | Canton | Sturbridge | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
24,748Highest |
9,960 |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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+ | 53.5% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Canton 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 50% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$136,759±$15kLowest 32% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980Lowest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Canton High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
13.1Highest |
7.7Lowest |
12.6 |
| 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.