From Nashaway Native American territory to a robust hay farming industry, Sterling is a Central Massachusetts town teeming with history. The community was also home to Mary Sawyer, the muse behind the 1830 nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” “It’s something we're known for,” says Caryn Gorczynski, the vice president of Century 21 Center Home Team, who is also a Sterling resident. “Mary’s original one-room schoolhouse is a historic landmark, and we have a lamb statue dedicated to her on Main Street.” Colonial-style storefronts in the quaint downtown, Rail Trail access on Waushacum Avenue and proximity to Interstate 190 add elements of modernity to Sterling’s small-town history.
Sterling
Located in Worcester County
Colonial-era dwellings and New Traditional estates
Homebuyers will find well-preserved properties built throughout the mid-1700s and the 19th century closest to Main Street. Side-gabled Federal dwellings sit on half-acre lots filled with pine trees. Second Empire homes have gravel driveways leading to detached two-car garages. Three-to-six-bedroom Queen Anne’s have restored interiors and wrap-around front porches. The town’s outskirts have two-to-three-acre parcels dotted with New Traditional estates circa the early 2000s and midcentury ranch styles.
A Sterling home of any style typically costs between $400,000 and $700,000, a range similar to a Worcester County home’s average $400,000 selling price. “The housing market in Sterling is hot,” says Gorczynski. “Right now, there is low inventory. Once something goes up, it’s gone within a week.”
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From a conservation club to 18 Advanced Placement classes
Children in Sterling can go to Houghton Elementary, which has a B-plus grade from Niche. Next, they may attend the B-plus-graded Chocksett Middle, where students can join the conservation club to research endangered species, tend to the school garden and clean up local wildlife preservations. Lastly, students can attend Wachusett Regional High School. Lending to its A-minus grade, the school offers 18 Advanced Placement classes, including music theory and African American studies.
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A reimagined cider mill and Sterling community hubs
Until 1988, the cider mill on Waushacum Avenue produced 2 million gallons of juice and vinegar every year. Today, the building is home to an antique store, and the trailhead for Sterling’s portion of the Central Massachusetts Rail Trail. Hikers traveling this 4-mile gravel route will pass cattail swamps, oak-pine forests and a bridge over West Waushacum Lake. “The Waushacum Lake is split into an eastern part and a western part,” says Gorczynski. “Only Sterling residents can use them. You can swim at the town beach or kayak. It’s busy in the summer because of camp kids.”
The town is also home to several other recreational hubs. Residents can join the true crime book club or attend a board game night at the Conant Public Library on Meetinghouse Hill Road. Besides ample picnic tables, Memorial Park at the heart of Sterling has a gazebo to host community events, like the Veterans Day ceremony. The Sterling Greenery Community Park, less than 2 miles away, has a modern playground and several baseball diamonds.
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Main Street dining and Leominster shopping
Residents can head to Main Street and start their morning at Emma’s Café, a locally owned breakfast spot serving omelets, sandwiches and smoothies. The thoroughfare is also home to Sterling Village Pizza & More, known for its casual atmosphere, thick-crust pies and classic pasta dishes. While Notown Goods sells locally sourced honey and handmade home décor, big-box shopping options are outside Sterling. The town is less than 5 miles from Hannaford, Shaw’s and Walgreens in downtown Clinton. An 8-mile drive north takes shoppers to Orchard Hill Park Drive in Leominster, where they can find stores like Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Best Buy.
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The highly attended Sterling Fair
“Over 30,000 people go to the Sterling Fair every September,” says Gorczynski. Located at the Sterling Airport, the event has been held off and on since 1859. Farmers can compete in the tractor race or sign their animals up for the oxen and horse pull. The weekend-long celebration also has local food vendors, live musicians and classic carnival attractions.
Interstate 190, a commuter’s dream
Sterling’s winding, rural roads don’t have sidewalks, and the town doesn’t have public transportation options. “Whether you work somewhere as close as Leominster or farther away in Boston, this is the ideal commuter town,” says Gorczynski. Interstate 190 spans Sterling’s western region, and a 50-mile drive east on the highway leads to Boston’s core. A 15-mile trip south also leads to downtown Worcester.
Written By
Meghan Baker
Photography Contributed By
Alexandria Pierre Etienne
Video By
Jacob Cooperman
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this area.
Agents Specializing in this Area
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Kelly Nelson
Kelly Nelson
Blue Sky Realty
(774) 772-5572
73 Total Sales
1 in Sterling
$270,000 Price
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Jennifer Juliano
Jennifer Juliano
Keller Williams Boston MetroWest
(508) 625-7884
144 Total Sales
1 in Sterling
$335,000 Price
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Kelly Dimbat
Kelly Dimbat
Responds QuicklyLamacchia Realty, Inc.
(781) 557-4147
136 Total Sales
1 in Sterling
$335,000 Price
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Maureen Harmonay
Maureen Harmonay
Coldwell Banker
(351) 200-9049
79 Total Sales
2 in Sterling
$615K - $620K Price Range
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Team Tom Truong
Team Tom Truong
Responds QuicklyeXp Realty
(781) 430-4830
50 Total Sales
1 in Sterling
$260,000 Price
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Janet Schoeny
Janet Schoeny
RE/MAX Vision
(351) 208-2591
66 Total Sales
2 in Sterling
$270K - $726K Price Range
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
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View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- Pre-K to 5th
- Public
- 5th to 8th
- Public
- 9th to 12th
- Public
Sterling Housing Trends
On average, homes in Sterling, MA sell after 19 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Sterling, MA over the last 12 months is $612,000, up 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$596,500
Median Sale Price
$612,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$630,000
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$454,950
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$476,250
Median Change From 1st List Price
-1%
Last 12 months Home Sales
65
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
$6
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$291
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes for Sale
13
Months of Supply
2.40
Homes for Sale
Distribution of Home Values
Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
Weather
Annual Precipitation
44''
Average Winter Low Temperature
16°F
Average Summer High Temperature
83°F
Annual Snowfall
63''
