Compare towns
Upton vs Middlesex vs Brattleboro 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 expensive homes ($577k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Middlesex | Brattleboro | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
1,943Lowest |
12,122Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro 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% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex 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±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Brattleboro 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% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | 9.0 |
7.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.