What stands out worked out from the figures below

Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).

Charlton has the most kids (24.7% under 18).

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	Spencer	Charlton
People
Population	12,008Lowest	13,435Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6% MA: +7.4%	+2.6% MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA	43±4Lowest 8% above MA
	Spencer and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	24.7%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9%	18%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	37.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.8%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Charlton and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,533±$11kLowest 23% below MA	$117,587±$8kHighest 13% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$382,000±$22kLowest 32% below MA	$427,500±$19kHighest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA	$1,381±$415Highest 22% below MA
	Charlton and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,387Lowest 27% below MA	$4,617Highest 23% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8%	41.3%±9.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Spencer and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11%Highest MA: 10%	2.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63%Lowest MA: 62.5%	84.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA	1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 18% above MA	33 minLowest 13% above MA
Work from home	15%±7.3Highest MA: 18.6%	13%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Spencer and Charlton 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	#261 of 282 in MA	#133 of 282 in MA
School district	Spencer-E Brookfield	Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric
High school in town	David Prouty High	Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.9Highest	9.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.