Compare towns
Upton vs Millis vs Exeter 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 people working from home (22.8%).
Millis has the most expensive homes ($604k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Millis | Exeter | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
8,888 |
16,151Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
46.4±3 19% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% 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% |
18.4%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest 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% |
23.5%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Millis 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% |
54.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%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% |
4.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Millis 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. |
$155,996±$9kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
| Millis 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. |
$603,500±$31kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Millis 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. |
$1,696±$279 20% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Millis 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. |
$9,344Highest 200% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$6,520Lowest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Millis 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% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Exeter 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Millis | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Millis High School | Exeter High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
10.7 |
12.1Highest |
7.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.