What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westerly has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).

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	Westerly	Sturbridge
People
Population	23,333Highest	9,960Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	52.2±2.4Highest 34% above U.S.	47.2±2.6Lowest 21% above U.S.
	Westerly and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	26.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Westerly and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$98,875±$5kLowest 22% above U.S.	$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$466,600±$15kHighest 40% above U.S.	$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,257±$131Highest 11% below U.S.	$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S.
	Westerly and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S.	$6,520Highest 109% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.6%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Westerly and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.	38 minHighest 43% above U.S.
Work from home	11.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#25 of 38 in RI	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	Westerly	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	Westerly High School	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.6Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.