Compare towns
Leominster vs Upton vs Plainfield vs Princeton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leominster has the most renters (37.7% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Princeton has the most people working from home (29.5%).
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 | Leominster | Upton | Plainfield | Princeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,909Highest |
8,189 |
15,141 |
3,529Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±2.2 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.1±7 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Princeton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,816±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$158,750±$46kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Princeton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $380,400±$14k 14% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$520,500±$48k 56% above U.S. |
| Upton and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,354±$50Highest 4% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$897±$852Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,256 69% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,633 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.8%±46.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Princeton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.9%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.5%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Princeton 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 | #233 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #59 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Leominster | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District | Wachusett |
| High school in town | Leominster High School | Blackstone Valley | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
11.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.