Compare towns
Upton vs Wareham vs Wilbraham 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 population (median age 52.1).
Wilbraham has the youngest population (median age 44.3).
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 | Wilbraham | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
23,302Highest |
14,572 |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
44.3±2.7Lowest 11% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
| Wareham 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% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
23%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Wilbraham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.9% 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% |
5.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Wilbraham 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±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$122,051±$14k 17% 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±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$416,000±$25kLowest 26% below MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,175±$241 33% 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 |
$6,658 11% above 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% |
53.1%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Wilbraham 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%Highest MA: 10% |
4.6% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 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 |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±3.1 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 | #88 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wareham | Hampden-Wilbraham | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Wareham Senior High | Minnechaug Regional High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
8.6 |
14.2Highest |
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.