Compare towns
Upton vs Plainfield vs Orange vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Orange has the oldest housing (typical home built 1964).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
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 | Upton | Plainfield | Orange | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
15,141Highest |
14,315 |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.6±2.4 17% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$142,325±$10k 76% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$491,500±$17k 48% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 169% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Sutton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Sutton |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Plainfield High School | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
10.3Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.