Compare towns
Westminster vs Pawtucket vs Sturbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% 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.
| Measure | Westminster | Pawtucket | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,374Lowest |
75,893Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,331±$22k 32% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,000±$36k 27% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,973 59% above U.S. |
$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Westminster 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 | #112 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Oakmont Regional High School | William E. Tolman High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
14.6Highest |
7.7Lowest |
| 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.