Compare towns
Plainfield vs Upton vs Millbury 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Millbury has the oldest housing (typical home built 1965).
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 | Upton | Millbury | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
8,189 |
13,961 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
42.6±3.1 10% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Millbury 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Millbury 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Millbury 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$118,790±$13k 47% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Upton and Millbury 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$450,100±$19k 35% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,623±$232Highest 15% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,406 73% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Millbury 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% |
5% 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% |
75.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Millbury 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Millbury | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Blackstone Valley | Millbury Junior/Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.2 |
11.3Highest |
— |
| 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.