Compare towns
Pepperell vs Upton vs Plainfield vs Buckland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pepperell has the most renters (50.8% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Buckland has the oldest population (median age 49.5).
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 | Pepperell | Upton | Plainfield | Buckland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,971Lowest |
8,189 |
15,141Highest |
2,036 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±6.3 19% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.5±5.4Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Buckland and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Buckland and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,726±$17kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$82,877±$6k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $457,300±$40k 37% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$321,400±$25k 3% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,139±$301 19% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,111±$213 21% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,871 120% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,761 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±20.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Buckland and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Buckland 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Plainfield High School | Mohawk Trail Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.3 |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.