Compare towns
Ware vs Sturbridge vs Upton vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Ware | Sturbridge | Upton | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
9,960 |
8,189Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest 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+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Palmer Town and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below 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 | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,193±$398Highest 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
7.7Lowest |
11.2Highest |
9.9 |
| 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.