Compare towns
Chaplin vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Bozrah
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Bozrah has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Lancaster | Upton | Bozrah |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
2,293 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
46.4±7.4Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Bozrah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bozrah and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Lancaster 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. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$108,516±$11k 34% above 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 | $255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$311,200±$26k 6% 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 | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,426±$108 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,524 45% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,438Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.2%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Bozrah School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.