Compare towns
Upton vs Wareham vs West Wareham 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 expensive homes ($577k median).
Wareham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k 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 | Wareham | West Wareham | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
23,302Highest |
2,257Lowest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
| West Wareham and Wareham 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% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±7.3 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% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and West Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below 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±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
— | $1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Wareham 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 |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,765 20% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| West Wareham 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | — | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wareham | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Wareham Senior High | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
8.6 |
— | 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.