Compare towns

Dunstable vs Upton 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

Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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.

MeasureDunstableUptonPlainfield
People
Population
3,408Lowest
8,189
15,141Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
41.5±2.4
7% above U.S.
46.4±4.8Highest
19% above U.S.
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
Upton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22.4%±4.3
U.S.: 22%
23.2%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Upton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
15%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.6%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
Upton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
62.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
53.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
15%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7.1%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
Dunstable and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$208,512±$23kHighest
158% above U.S.
$155,508±$33k
93% above U.S.
$76,993±$8kLowest
5% below U.S.
Dunstable and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$674,000±$30kHighest
103% above U.S.
$576,700±$41k
73% above U.S.
$272,100±$16kLowest
18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,325±$637Highest
6% below U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
Dunstable and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,020Highest
189% above U.S.
$8,376
169% above U.S.
$4,209Lowest
35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
60%±77.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31
U.S.: 51.1%
39.8%±9.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Dunstable and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
0.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
96.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
73.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
1971Lowest
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 min
30% above U.S.
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
Work from home
20%±3.9
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Upton and Dunstable 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 #4 of 282 in MA #46 of 282 in MA #131 of 149 in CT
School district Groton-Dunstable Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Plainfield School District
High school in town None in town Blackstone Valley 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

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.