Compare towns
Upton vs Devens vs Dedham 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).
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
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 | Devens | Dedham | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
1,723Lowest |
25,237Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
| Devens and Sturbridge 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% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest 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% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Devens 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 |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
| Devens 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 |
$556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Dedham and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,556Lowest 7% below MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens 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% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Dedham | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | — | Dedham High | 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.