Compare towns
Upton vs Orange vs Douglas 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).
Orange has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
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 | Orange | Douglas | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
14,315Highest |
9,207 |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
45.6±2.4 17% above U.S. |
44±2.6Lowest 13% 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% |
22.9%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Orange 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%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange 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% |
59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Douglas 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. |
$142,325±$10k 76% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kLowest 69% above U.S. |
| Upton and Douglas 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. |
$491,500±$17k 48% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| Orange and Douglas 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. |
$8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$6,338Lowest 103% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange and Upton 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% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Douglas 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 | #38 of 149 in CT | #177 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Douglas | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Douglas High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
7.7 |
| 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.