Compare towns
Upton vs Mount Desert 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%).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Mount Desert | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
1,671Lowest |
9,960Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert 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% |
64.4%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% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Mount Desert 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. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above 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. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Upton and Mount Desert 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. |
$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| Mount Desert 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. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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 |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mount Desert Public Schools | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | 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.