Charlton vs Sturbridge
The prices are essentially identical, so schools break the tie: Sturbridge is ahead — 60th percentile on MCAS against 34th.
Charlton is about 5 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Charlton works out roughly $2,200 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Charlton if the commute matters most.
All Charlton numbers →Choose Sturbridge if you want the stronger schools of the two, or you want the lower price.
All Sturbridge numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Charlton | Sturbridge | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS percentile | 34th | 60th |
| Niche district rank | 106th of 236 | 72nd of 236 |
| 4BR house | $550kT1 | $550kT1 |
| 2BR condo | $315k | $315k |
| Commute to Boston | 88 minT4 | 93 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Tax rate | $12.50T3 | $16.50T4 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$6,900 | ≈$9,100 |
| 3BR rent | $2,163/mo | $2,480/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
