Compare towns
Plainfield vs Upton vs Douglas
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 affordable homes ($309k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
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 | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Lowest |
8,189 |
9,207Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
| Plainfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
| Upton and Douglas 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 |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558 27% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Plainfield 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
34 minLowest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Douglas |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.