Compare towns
North Canaan vs Upton vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Canaan has the most renters (38.3% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
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 | North Canaan | Upton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,221Lowest |
8,189 |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 35.7±5.7Lowest 8% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| North Canaan and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and North Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,976±$26kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$59kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,146±$152 19% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and North Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,893Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.1%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | North Canaan School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.