Compare towns
Chilmark vs Lancaster vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chilmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+40%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Chilmark | Lancaster | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,578Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Chilmark and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Chilmark and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lancaster and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Chilmark and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$2,338±$539 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Chilmark and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±59.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 8% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±11 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Chilmark 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Up-Island Regional | Nashoba | 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.