Population 6,639 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Sturbridge: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Sturbridge
Household size in Sturbridge
| Period | Sturbridge | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.69 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Sturbridge has 2.51 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.47 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Sturbridge
| Period | Sturbridge | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.3 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.2 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.2 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.9 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.6 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Sturbridge skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 41.3 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Sturbridge
| Period | Sturbridge | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Sturbridge: 3.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 0.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 11 have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Sturbridge
Renters in Sturbridge
| Period | Sturbridge | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.8% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 9.9% of households in Sturbridge rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 33.7% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 7.0 points, even as the national share rose. Only 23 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Sturbridge
| Period | Sturbridge | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Sturbridge: 8.0% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Worcester area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.8 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Sturbridge
| Period | Sturbridge | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Sturbridge are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the Worcester area overall, where the median home dates to 1965. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Sturbridge
| Period | Sturbridge | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $923 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,042 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,271 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,542 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$619 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Sturbridge pays $1,542 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $619 a month from 2006–10, a 67% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 24.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Sturbridge
Bachelor's degrees in Sturbridge
| Period | Sturbridge | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.8% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 44.5% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.4% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.1% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Sturbridge is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (49.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Sturbridge
| Period | Sturbridge | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.8% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.4% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.5% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Sturbridge: 94.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Sturbridge
| Period | Sturbridge | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sturbridge has been low: just 2.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Only 27 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have lower unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 2.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Sturbridge compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sturbridge | 2.51 | 48.9 | 3.8% | 9.9% | 8.0% | 1977 | $1,542 | 49.1% | 94.5% | 2.5% |
| Charlton City | 2.68 | 42.0 | 2.6% | 14.0% | 3.1% | 1985 | $1,733 | 53.4% | 94.6% | 1.1% |
| Fiskdale | 2.38 | 47.0 | 11.1% | 22.3% | 6.8% | 1987 | $946 | 49.8% | 95.9% | 5.5% |
| Southbridge Town | 2.50 | 38.9 | 19.9% | 57.3% | 6.4% | 1956 | $1,201 | 18.8% | 81.6% | 7.4% |
| East Brimfield | 2.79 | 44.4 | 14.3% | 3.4% | 15.7% | 1984 | $890 | 45.6% | 99.0% | 3.0% |
| Mystic Grove | 2.82 | 47.1 | 14.3% | 4.6% | 8.1% | 1983 | $1,042 | 38.5% | 94.6% | 3.1% |
| Holland | 2.17 | 50.0 | 4.4% | 5.4% | 22.1% | 1973 | $1,540 | 35.0% | 95.1% | 3.9% |
| Brookfield | 2.36 | 51.6 | 5.1% | 12.4% | 7.1% | 1973 | $1,057 | 28.9% | 94.0% | 7.1% |
| Charlton | 2.68 | 44.0 | 8.5% | 15.9% | 5.1% | 1986 | $1,569 | 40.7% | 93.8% | 1.9% |
| Brimfield | 2.63 | 43.4 | 10.0% | 12.8% | 12.9% | 1987 | $807 | 42.5% | 97.8% | 2.6% |
| East Brookfield | 2.36 | 52.1 | 5.6% | 16.7% | 8.4% | 1968 | $1,142 | 27.0% | 96.4% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Oceanport, NJ · Palmer, TX · Palermo, CA · Palacios, TX · Paintsville, KY · Ozark, AR · Oyster Bay, NY · Oxford, FL · Owings, MD · Owensville, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Sturbridge. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.