The Town FilesCharlton, Massachusetts
Town in Worcester County · population 13,315 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $427,500
- Household income
- $117,587
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 47 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 43.0
Charlton is a town of 13,315 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $427,500, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks easier by car than 92% of Massachusetts towns, better for families than 70% of Massachusetts towns.
How Charlton ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Charlton is worth $427,500, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $117,587, which is more affordable than 88% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,381 a month. 84.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Charlton | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $427,500 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,381 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $117,587 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 84.9% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Charlton
| People | Charlton | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.6% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.5% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 13.0% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Charlton
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 48.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.6 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Charlton since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 1, 2011 about 8.7 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 201 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 16, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Charlton itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Charlton
4 public schools with 2,572 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School | 9-12 | 1,193 | 10.4 |
| Charlton Middle School | 5-8 | 603 | 12.6 |
| Heritage School | 2-4 | 448 | 13.2 |
| Charlton Elementary | PK-1 | 328 | 12.6 |
Towns near Charlton
- Oxford, MA5.2 mi · 5,928 people · home $345,700
- Oxford, MA5.2 mi · 13,347 people · home $374,900
- Dudley, MA5.8 mi · 11,921 people · home $392,600
- Southbridge Town, MA6.1 mi · 17,740 people · home $294,800
- Sturbridge, MA6.5 mi · 9,867 people · home $425,800
- Fiskdale, MA7.3 mi · 2,797 people · home $409,300
- Auburn, MA7.7 mi · 16,889 people · home $400,000
- Webster, MA7.7 mi · 12,194 people · home $333,100
Charlton questions
Is Charlton, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Charlton scores better for retirees than 10% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 33%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Charlton?
The median owner-occupied home in Charlton is valued at $427,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $117,587, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,381 a month.
What is the weather like in Charlton?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.9 inches of precipitation a year and 46.6 inches of snow.
Does Charlton get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Charlton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on June 1, 2011. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)