Compare towns
Sprague vs Upton vs Chaplin vs Bethlehem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sprague has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Bethlehem has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
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 | Sprague | Upton | Chaplin | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,962 |
8,189Highest |
2,070Lowest |
3,423 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 48.5±10.7 25% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8Lowest 12% above U.S. |
51.5±8.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bethlehem and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,850±$11kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$108,929±$16k 35% above U.S. |
| Upton and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,500±$17k 18% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$410,900±$36k 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,247±$144 12% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,127±$124 20% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,668 50% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,932 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.7%±38.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bethlehem and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Chaplin 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 | #141 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #82 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sprague School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Regional School District 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Parish Hill High School | None in town |
| 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.