Compare towns
Royalston vs Upton vs Plainfield vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalston has the most homeowners (96%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Athol has the most renters (27.6% rent).
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 | Royalston | Upton | Plainfield | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
8,189 |
15,141Highest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±14.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±10 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,109±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,300±$18k 4% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,650±$412Highest 17% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Royalston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,196Lowest about the U.S. average |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,403 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Royalston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 45% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Plainfield High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
10.3Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| 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.