Compare towns
Upton vs Rowley 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 people working from home (22.8%).
Rowley has the shortest commute (28 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 | Rowley | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
6,251Lowest |
9,960Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
| Rowley 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley 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% MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley 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 50% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
| 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±$41k about the MA average |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Rowley and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley 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% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 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 |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Triton | 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 Our Story | 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.