Compare towns
Groton vs Plainfield vs Upton vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Groton has the most homeowners (94.4%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Marshfield has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
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 | Groton | Plainfield | Upton | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 967Lowest |
1,314 |
8,189Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.7±5.8 17% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
38.7±6.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Marshfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Groton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,250±$14k 4% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$60,313±$10kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$70k 27% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$214,100±$37kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $288±$151Lowest 80% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,317±$126Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Marshfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,659Lowest 17% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,668 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12.5%±72.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
65.7%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshfield 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 | — | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | — | — | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.