Compare towns
Millbury vs Plainfield vs Upton vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Millbury | Plainfield | Upton | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,961 |
15,141 |
8,189Lowest |
16,970Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.1 10% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.8±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| Upton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Auburn and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,790±$13k 47% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$116,711±$10k 45% above U.S. |
| Upton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,100±$19k 35% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$400,000±$16k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,623±$232Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,467±$155 4% above U.S. |
| Millbury and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,406 73% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,289 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.8%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Millbury 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 | #202 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millbury | Plainfield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Auburn |
| High school in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High | Plainfield High School | Blackstone Valley | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
10.3Lowest |
11.2 |
12.1Highest |
| 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.