Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainville vs Upton vs Phillipston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Phillipston has the most homeowners (92.4%).
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 | Brookfield | Plainville | Upton | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460 |
17,551Highest |
8,189 |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
48.8±1.7 25% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37kLowest about the U.S. average |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$94,692±$14k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23k about the U.S. average |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$372,400±$27k 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161 28% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,375±$849Highest about the U.S. average |
| Phillipston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 63% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,914Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Brookfield 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Brookfield | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainville High School | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.