Compare towns
Putnam vs Webster vs Upton vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the oldest housing (typical home built 1961).
Webster has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 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 | Putnam | Webster | Upton | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292 |
17,748Highest |
8,189Lowest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Webster and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Webster | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Bartlett High School | Blackstone Valley | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.6Highest |
11.2 |
11.4 |
| 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.