What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainville	Blackstone
People
Population	17,551Highest	9,255Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S.	43.2±1.7Lowest 11% above U.S.
	Plainville and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Blackstone and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Plainville and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S.	$94,191±$21kHighest 17% above U.S.
	Blackstone and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.	$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.	$1,189±$85Highest 16% below U.S.
	Blackstone and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S.	$5,703Highest 83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Blackstone and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.	34 minHighest 28% above U.S.
Work from home	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Blackstone and Plainville 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	#89 of 149 in CT	#207 of 282 in MA
School district	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District	Blackstone-Millville
High school in town	Plainville High School	Blackstone Millville RHS
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.