Compare towns
Upton vs North Kingstown 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%).
North Kingstown has the shortest commute (26 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 | North Kingstown | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
27,859Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
46.2±2.4Lowest 19% 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% |
17.8%±1.7Lowest 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%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Kingstown 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% |
55.6%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% |
6.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| North Kingstown 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. |
$126,293±$14kLowest 56% 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. |
$543,700±$26k 63% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Upton and North Kingstown 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. |
$1,268±$187Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| North Kingstown 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. |
$6,396Lowest 105% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.5%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and North Kingstown 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% |
6.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±2.4Lowest 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 | #4 of 38 in RI | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Kingstown | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | North Kingstown Sr. High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.9Highest |
7.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 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.


