Compare towns
Upton vs Madison vs Sturbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Madison has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Madison | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
17,616Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
51.9±1.9Highest 33% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Madison 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
72.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Madison 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 93% above U.S. |
$167,442±$16kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kLowest 69% above U.S. |
| Madison 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 73% above U.S. |
$583,900±$30kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Madison and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,025±$741Highest 43% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| Madison and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 169% above U.S. |
$8,843Highest 184% above U.S. |
$6,520Lowest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44%±12.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 13% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Madison 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 | #7 of 149 in CT | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Madison School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Daniel Hand High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
9.8 |
7.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.