Compare towns
Plainfield vs Stafford vs Upton vs Sterling
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 renters (26.4% rent).
Stafford has the most affordable homes ($264k median).
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 | Plainfield | Stafford | Upton | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
11,511 |
8,189 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.7±4.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Stafford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stafford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$93,235±$16k 15% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$263,800±$22kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,086±$85 23% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— |
| Plainfield and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,131 65% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.5%±12.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Sterling 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #96 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Stafford School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Stafford High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
9.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.