Compare towns
Grafton vs Plainfield 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
Grafton has the most renters (26.8% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Grafton | Plainfield | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,902Highest |
15,141 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.6 6% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest 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+ | 55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,484±$11k 63% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $525,300±$37k 58% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Upton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$169Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,117 128% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Grafton 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% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Grafton 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 | #67 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Grafton | Plainfield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Grafton High School | Plainfield High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.2 |
| 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.