Compare towns
Worcester vs Upton vs Dummerston 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).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Plainfield has the most renters (19.1% 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 | Worcester | Upton | Dummerston | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
8,189Highest |
2,090 |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Lowest 17% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Dummerston 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Plainfield 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% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Upton 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Upton and Dummerston 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston 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 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.