Compare towns
Whitman vs Sturbridge vs Abington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has the most renters (28.6% rent).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Abington has the most expensive homes ($540k 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 | Whitman | Sturbridge | Abington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295 |
9,960Lowest |
17,053Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
39.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Abington and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Whitman and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14kLowest 5% above MA |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$125,400±$12k 21% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$539,600±$34kHighest 4% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,724±$250 about the MA average |
| Whitman and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Lowest about the MA average |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$7,045Highest 18% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11 MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge and Abington 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #143 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Abington |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Abington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.