Compare towns
Derby vs Upton vs Orange 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
Derby has the most renters (38.1% rent).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Orange has the most homeowners (89.2%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Derby | Upton | Orange | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,487 |
8,189Lowest |
14,315 |
17,551Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.4±3.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.6±2.4 17% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,500±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$142,325±$10k 76% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Upton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$21k 23% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$491,500±$17k 48% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$95 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,510 77% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.9%±12.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 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. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Orange 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 | #138 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #38 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Derby School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Derby High School | Blackstone Valley | — | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
11.2 |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.