Compare towns
Plainfield vs Suffield 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).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 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 | Plainfield | Suffield | Upton | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
15,702Highest |
8,189 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Suffield 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest 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% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Suffield 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% |
40.4% 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% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Suffield 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. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Upton and Suffield 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. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% 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% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Suffield 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% |
4.6% 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% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr 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 3% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Suffield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Suffield High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
10.9 |
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.