Compare towns
Chelsea 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.9%).
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 | Upton |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 39,908Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 34.4±1.3Lowest 14% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Chelsea and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $72,179±$8kLowest 31% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $493,500±$24kLowest 12% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$96Highest 11% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,321Lowest 45% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±5.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Chelsea and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 26%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941Lowest 23 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #280 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chelsea | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Chelsea High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.