Compare towns
Chelsea vs Lawrence vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelsea has the most renters (74% rent).
Lawrence has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Chelsea | Lawrence | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,908 |
88,736Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.9% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 34.4±1.3 14% below MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,179±$8k 31% below MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $493,500±$24k 12% below MA |
$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$96Highest 11% above MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,321Lowest 45% below MA |
$3,422 43% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±5.1 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 26%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
28.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941Lowest 23 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #280 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chelsea | Lawrence | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Chelsea High | Lawrence High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
13.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.