Compare towns
Upton vs Reading vs Lancaster 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).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Reading | Lancaster | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
25,612Highest |
8,606 |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% 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% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Lancaster 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
| Reading 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 about the MA average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Lancaster and Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Reading | Nashoba | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Reading Memorial High | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
12.1Highest |
— | 7.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.