Compare towns
Norwich vs Plainville 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).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Norwich | Plainville | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,973Highest |
17,551 |
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±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest 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%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,024±$5kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14k 24% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,253±$68Highest 11% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Norwich and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,703Lowest 51% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.2%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest 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% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% 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 min 9% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Norwich Free Academy | Plainville High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.4 |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.