Compare towns
Hudson vs Upton vs Douglas vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the most renters (32% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Hudson | Upton | Douglas | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,719Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,207 |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±2.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,524±$9kLowest 13% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,300±$15k 16% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,397±$83 21% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
| Plainville and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,597 10% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Plainville and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 18.3%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Douglas 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 | #224 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Douglas | Plainville |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Douglas High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.