Compare towns
Devens vs Upton vs Chaplin vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Ayer has the most renters (41.9% rent).
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 | Devens | Upton | Chaplin | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,189Highest |
2,070 |
3,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k 67% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$444,600±$43k 34% above U.S. |
| Upton and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,240±$169 12% below U.S. |
| Devens and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 78% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,911 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | — |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Parish Hill High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.