Compare towns
Chatham vs Upton vs Wellfleet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chatham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
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 | Chatham | Upton | Wellfleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,681 |
8,189Highest |
4,404Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 63.4±2.8Highest 59% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
58.4±4.1 46% above MA |
| Chatham and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.5%±5.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Chatham and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Chatham and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,167±$9kLowest 18% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$117,938±$27k 13% above MA |
| Upton and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $942,800±$78kHighest 68% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$855,300±$70k 52% above MA |
| Chatham and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,485±$209 16% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,563±$597Highest 11% below MA |
| Wellfleet and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,094Lowest 32% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,862 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.7%±21.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Chatham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Chatham 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 | #130 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Monomoy Regional School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wellfleet |
| High school 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 |
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.