Compare towns
Windsor vs Upton vs Sutton vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the oldest housing (typical home built 1970).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($309k 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 | Windsor | Upton | Sutton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065 |
8,189 |
9,452Highest |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
| Plainfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
52.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10k 11% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
| 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 46% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
| Plainfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Upton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sutton | — |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Sutton High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.