Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sturbridge 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
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Sturbridge has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Sturbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
2,443Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.8±6.8Highest 23% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest 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+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±7.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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% |
55.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Plainfield 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. |
$131,568±$34k 63% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$418,400±$29k 26% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$2,009±$225Highest 42% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,410 106% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.1%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest 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 | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±9.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | — | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| 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.