Compare towns
Webster vs Upton vs Sturbridge vs Whitman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Whitman has the oldest housing (typical home built 1957).
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 | Webster | Upton | Sturbridge | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,960 |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
| Sturbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Whitman 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% 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 | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Blackstone Valley | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.2 |
7.7Lowest |
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| 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.