Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Sutton 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
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Sutton has the youngest population (median age 44.3).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Plainfield | Sutton | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,314Lowest |
9,452Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Highest 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield 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 | — | — | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.