Compare towns
Warner vs Sturbridge vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warner has the oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($258k 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 | Warner | Sturbridge | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,959Lowest |
9,960Highest |
3,273 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±4 12% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
42.7±5.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
24.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bristol and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bristol and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Warner and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,022±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$78,438±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,100±$22k 6% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$258,300±$63kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$123 14% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,310±$97Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Bristol and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$4,162Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.7%±21.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Warner and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Warner 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 | — | #89 of 282 in MA | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kearsarge Regional School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.