Compare towns
Chaplin vs Devens vs Harvard vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Devens has the oldest population (median age 48.6).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Franklin has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
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 | Chaplin | Devens | Harvard | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070 |
1,723Lowest |
6,927Highest |
2,004 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
40.3±4.3Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Devens and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Franklin and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$189,250±$63k 134% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$105,000±$10k 30% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$556,800±$96k 67% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$326,200±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
$767±$529Lowest 46% below U.S. |
| Devens and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,524 45% above U.S. |
$5,556 78% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,934Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.5%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.5%±11.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Harvard and Devens 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 | — | — | #12 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | — | Harvard | Franklin School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | — | The Bromfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
— | 11.0Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.