Compare towns
Brookfield vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($261k 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 | Brookfield | Lancaster | Upton | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
1,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
54.1±12.1Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$65,913±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$260,900±$39kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,524±$467 8% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.3%±33.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Brookfield 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.