Compare towns
Sutton vs Fall River vs Plainfield vs Wilbraham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Wilbraham has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Sutton | Fall River | Plainfield | Wilbraham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452Lowest |
94,082Highest |
15,141 |
14,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±2.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wilbraham and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilbraham and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Wilbraham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$122,051±$14k 51% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Wilbraham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$416,000±$25k 25% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,175±$241 17% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$6,658 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wilbraham and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #105 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #88 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Plainfield School District | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | B M C Durfee High | Plainfield High School | Minnechaug Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
11.3 |
10.3Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| 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.