Compare towns
Upton vs Devens 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 most kids (23.2% under 18).
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Sutton has the youngest population (median age 44.3).
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 | Sturbridge | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
1,723Lowest |
9,960Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% 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% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 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%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Devens 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 |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$136,759±$15kLowest 32% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% 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±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Upton and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Devens and Sturbridge 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 |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens 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 MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
79.3%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 |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older 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 |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 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 | — | #89 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Sutton |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | 7.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.