Compare towns

Plainfield vs Upton vs Rowley

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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k 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.

MeasurePlainfieldUptonRowley
People
Population
15,141Highest
8,189
6,251Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+6.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
46.4±4.8
19% above U.S.
50±6.3Highest
29% above U.S.
Rowley 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%
23.2%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.3%±4.5Lowest
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%
20.7%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
21.6%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Rowley 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%
53.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
56.8%Highest
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%
4.8%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Plainfield and Rowley 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.
$132,734±$32k
64% above U.S.
Upton and Rowley 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±$41k
73% above U.S.
$667,300±$52kHighest
101% above U.S.
Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,603±$520Highest
13% above U.S.
Rowley and Plainfield 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.
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
$8,309
166% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.8%±9.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31
U.S.: 51.1%
57.7%±27.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Rowley and Upton 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%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Lowest
9 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
28 min
7% above U.S.
Work from home
10%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #131 of 149 in CT #46 of 282 in MA #214 of 282 in MA
School district Plainfield School District Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Triton
High school in town Plainfield High School Blackstone Valley None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
10.3Lowest
11.2Highest
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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.