Compare towns
Plainfield vs Upton vs Worcester vs Brookfield
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 (24 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Worcester | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
8,189Highest |
831Lowest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 54% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Worcester 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.