Compare towns

Plainfield vs Upton vs Wilbraham

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%).
Wilbraham has the most homeowners (88.8%).

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.

MeasurePlainfieldUptonWilbraham
People
Population
15,141Highest
8,189Lowest
14,572
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+6.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
46.4±4.8Highest
19% above U.S.
44.3±2.7
14% above U.S.
Upton and Wilbraham 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%
23.2%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
16.6%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
23%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Wilbraham 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%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
51.9%
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%
5.2%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
Plainfield and Wilbraham 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.
$122,051±$14k
51% above U.S.
Upton and Wilbraham 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.
$416,000±$25k
25% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,204±$70Highest
15% below U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,175±$241
17% below U.S.
Plainfield and Wilbraham 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.
$6,658
113% 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%
53.1%±23.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Wilbraham 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%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
88.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1966Lowest
14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
Work from home
10%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.9%±3.1
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #131 of 149 in CT #46 of 282 in MA #88 of 282 in MA
School district Plainfield School District Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Hampden-Wilbraham
High school in town Plainfield High School Blackstone Valley Minnechaug Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school
10.3Lowest
11.2
14.2Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.