Compare towns
Milford vs Plainfield vs Upton vs Bellingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milford has the most renters (37.8% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Milford | Plainfield | Upton | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 27,731Highest |
15,141 |
8,189Lowest |
17,410 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.5±1.5 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
38.2±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,310±$5k 16% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$125,307±$10k 55% above U.S. |
| Upton and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $464,700±$12k 40% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$450,700±$13k 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,889±$133Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,836±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Milford and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,664 82% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,030 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±8.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bellingham and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bellingham 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 | #213 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Bellingham |
| High school in town | — | Plainfield High School | Blackstone Valley | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.2 |
12.4Highest |
| 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.