Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Brooklyn | Upton | Lancaster | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,517 |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Upton and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538 45% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.