Compare towns
Worcester vs Middlesex vs Upton vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 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 | Worcester | Middlesex | Upton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
1,943 |
8,189Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 53% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Upton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Worcester 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 | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
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| 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.