Compare towns
Bristol vs Plainville vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the youngest population (median age 37.9).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k 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 | Bristol | Plainville | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,462Highest |
17,551 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.9±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,076±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,800±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,338±$45Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,449 75% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bristol and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bristol School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bristol Central High School | Plainville High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.4 |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.