Compare towns
Chilmark vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Gosnold
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chilmark has the most expensive homes ($1895k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Gosnold has the shortest commute (10 min average).
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 | Gosnold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,578 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
31Lowest |
| 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±8.1 34% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
60.5±20.5Highest 51% above MA |
| Gosnold and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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%±12.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
38.7%±100Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Gosnold and Chilmark 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% |
67.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
0%±63.9Lowest 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 |
$700,000±$154k 25% above MA |
| 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 | $4,485 25% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$2,667Lowest 55% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±59.9 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
0%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 8% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
10 minLowest 67% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±11 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±72.2 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 | Gosnold |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.