Compare towns
Chester vs Erving vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Erving has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Chester | Erving | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,240Lowest |
1,703 |
8,189Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.7 15% above MA |
43.3±2.4Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Erving and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Erving and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,390±$6k 14% below MA |
$77,656±$9kLowest 25% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,900±$14k 50% below MA |
$271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$71 37% below MA |
$1,163±$213Highest 34% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Erving and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,522 25% below MA |
$1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±22.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±23Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Chester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% MA: 62.5% |
81.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 7%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gateway | Erving | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| 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.