What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).

Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Webster	Sturbridge
People
Population	17,748Highest	9,960Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average	47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Sturbridge and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Sturbridge and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	49.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Webster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA	$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA	$425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA	$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA
	Webster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA	$6,520Highest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%	42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Webster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% above MA	38 minHighest 30% above MA
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	Webster	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.