Compare towns
Upton vs Pepperell vs Harvard vs Sturbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Pepperell has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Pepperell | Harvard | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
11,663Highest |
6,927Lowest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
42.4±3.3Lowest 6% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Pepperell 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±$33k 50% above MA |
$124,073±$12kLowest 19% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,295±$238 27% below MA |
$1,321±$424Highest 25% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Harvard and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$6,698 12% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard 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 MA: 10% |
8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Middlesex | Harvard | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | The Bromfield High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | 11.0 |
7.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet |
MA 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.