Compare towns
Plainville vs Epping vs West Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
West Boylston has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Plainville | Epping | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943Highest |
7,430Lowest |
7,782 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
45.5±2.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| West Boylston and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Boylston and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,106±$13kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$104,551±$12kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| West Boylston and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,000±$35kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$440,000±$24k 32% above U.S. |
| Plainville and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,261±$154Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Plainville and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | Epping School District | West Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.