Compare towns
Wrentham vs Danvers vs Upton vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wrentham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Danvers has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Wrentham | Danvers | Upton | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,297 |
28,098Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Wrentham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Wrentham and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $151,676±$17k 46% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$104,106±$13kLowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $654,900±$26kHighest 17% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
| Wrentham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,184±$628 33% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,977±$197 12% above MA |
| Danvers and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,373 23% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.6%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Plainville and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Wrentham 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 | #49 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Wrentham | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Plainville |
| High school in town | King Philip Regional High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.8 |
11.2Lowest |
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| 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.