Compare towns
Plainville vs Upton vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lunenburg has the most affordable homes ($464k median).
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 | Upton | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943 |
8,189Lowest |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.2±2.1Lowest 8% above MA |
| Upton and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainville and Lunenburg 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 about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$112,828±$11k 9% above MA |
| Upton and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$463,900±$24kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,974±$586 12% above MA |
| Plainville and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,401 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±13.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Plainville and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.