Compare towns
Plainfield vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Hawley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Hawley has the oldest population (median age 56.8).
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 | Northbridge | Upton | Hawley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616 |
16,458Highest |
8,189 |
277Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
56.8±7.2Highest 42% above MA |
| Hawley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±10Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hawley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$87,500±$26k 16% below MA |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$309,600±$38k 45% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
— |
| Plainfield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458 26% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,097Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
50%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
94% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±12.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Upton 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | — | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.