Compare towns
Deep River vs Lyme vs Upton vs Chester Center
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deep River has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Chester Center has the youngest population (median age 44.9).
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 | Deep River | Lyme | Upton | Chester Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,458 |
2,303 |
8,189Highest |
2,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.2±5.6 19% above U.S. |
55.6±3.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.9±13.7Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Chester Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.7%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester Center and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester Center and Deep River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,253±$19k 12% above U.S. |
$135,000±$22k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$89,375±$43kLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$26kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$629,900±$105kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$422,500±$48k 27% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$185 14% below U.S. |
$1,719±$1kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,473±$358 4% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Chester Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,092 95% above U.S. |
$7,328 135% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,867Lowest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±22.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.9%±44.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.1%±30.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Deep River and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.2%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±9.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Upton 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 | #70 of 149 in CT | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Deep River School District · Regional School District 04 | Regional School District 18 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | Valley Regional High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.