Compare towns
Upton vs Dedham vs Stow vs Sturbridge
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 most kids (23.2% under 18).
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Dedham | Stow | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
25,237Highest |
7,165Lowest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% 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% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham 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% MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham 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±$33k 50% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
| Stow and Upton 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 |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Dedham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Dedham 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% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
36 min 23% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dedham | Nashoba | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Dedham High | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
10.4 |
— | 7.7Lowest |
| 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.