Compare towns

Norwich vs Plainfield vs Upton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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.

MeasureNorwichPlainfieldUpton
People
Population
39,973Highest
15,141
8,189Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+6.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
38.5±1.7
about the U.S. average
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
46.4±4.8Highest
19% above U.S.
Kids under 18
20.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.2%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
Upton and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.9%±1.7
U.S.: 17.2%
16.6%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Upton and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
23.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
15%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
53.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$65,024±$5kLowest
19% below U.S.
$76,993±$8k
5% below U.S.
$155,508±$33kHighest
93% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$242,300±$11kLowest
27% below U.S.
$272,100±$16k
18% below U.S.
$576,700±$41kHighest
73% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,253±$68Highest
11% below U.S.
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
Norwich and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,703
51% above U.S.
$4,209Lowest
35% above U.S.
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.2%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
39.8%±9.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31
U.S.: 51.1%
Norwich and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
16.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
53.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1957Lowest
23 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minLowest
9% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
Work from home
7.2%±2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #133 of 149 in CT #131 of 149 in CT #46 of 282 in MA
School district Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District Plainfield School District Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton
High school in town Norwich Free Academy Plainfield High School Blackstone Valley
Students per teacherat that high school
14.8Highest
10.3Lowest
11.2
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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.