Compare towns
Lowell vs Mendon vs Upton vs Chelmsford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Lowell | Mendon | Upton | Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
6,325Lowest |
8,189 |
36,446 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
41.6±1.9 4% above MA |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Lowell and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$140,629±$8k 35% above MA |
| Upton and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$593,700±$17k 6% above MA |
| Mendon and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40 8% below MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,062±$151Highest 17% above MA |
| Chelmsford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$8,047 34% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
82.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #79 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Mendon-Upton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Chelmsford |
| High school in town | Lowell High | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Chelmsford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
14.0 |
| 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.