Compare towns
Chaplin vs Norfolk vs Upton
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).
Norfolk has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Norfolk | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,070 |
1,723Lowest |
8,189Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.2±7.4Highest 24% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Norfolk and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Norfolk 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% |
28.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Norfolk 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% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$91,548±$16kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$430,900±$54k 30% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,190±$116 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,065 94% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.3%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Chaplin 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% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Norfolk 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 | — | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Norfolk School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.