Compare towns
Upton vs Hudson vs Needham 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 homeowners (86.7%).
Hudson has the most renters (26.8% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Hudson | Needham | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
20,077 |
32,459Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% 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%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Upton 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% |
20.1%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Hudson 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% |
46.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$103,400±$13kLowest about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$496,800±$22k 12% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,406±$82 20% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$6,892 15% 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% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
5.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #224 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hudson | Needham | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Hudson High | Needham High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
10.2 |
11.9Highest |
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.