Compare towns
Amesbury vs Upton vs Newfields vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($476k median).
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 | Amesbury | Upton | Newfields | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
8,189 |
2,023Lowest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Upton and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323 33% above U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Upton 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Newfields School District | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— | — |
| 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.