What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ludlow	Chaplin
People
Population	20,904Highest	2,070Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	44.3±1.8Highest 14% above U.S.	43.7±4.8Lowest 12% above U.S.
	Ludlow and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Ludlow and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Ludlow and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Chaplin and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,838±$7kLowest 5% above U.S.	$97,846±$14kHighest 21% above U.S.
	Chaplin and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,300±$10kHighest about the U.S. average	$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,223±$82Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S.
	Chaplin and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,918Highest 58% above U.S.	$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ludlow and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.	32 minHighest 23% above U.S.
Work from home	14%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Chaplin and Ludlow 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	#154 of 282 in MA	—
School district	Ludlow	Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11
High school in town	Ludlow Senior High	Parish Hill High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	7.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.