Compare towns
Brewster vs Chatham vs Upton vs Orleans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewster has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Chatham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Orleans has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Brewster | Chatham | Upton | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,420Highest |
6,681 |
8,189 |
6,415Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 59.6±4.7 49% above MA |
63.4±2.8 59% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
64.7±2.5Highest 62% above MA |
| Orleans and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
8.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
10.6%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 38.6%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
45.5%±5.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
49.3%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Orleans and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.5% MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Chatham and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,317±$16k about the MA average |
$85,167±$9kLowest 18% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$102,335±$13k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $707,700±$51k 26% above MA |
$942,800±$78k 68% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$957,000±$85kHighest 70% above MA |
| Orleans and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,589±$465Highest 10% below MA |
$1,485±$209 16% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,502±$703 15% below MA |
| Brewster and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,397 27% below MA |
$4,094Lowest 32% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,486 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.2%±23.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.7%±21.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±22.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Brewster and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% MA: 10% |
10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 28% below MA |
24 min 18% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
22 min 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.3%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
27.4%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Orleans and Chatham 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 | #160 of 282 in MA | #130 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #158 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brewster | Monomoy Regional School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nauset · Orleans |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.