Compare towns
Adams vs Plainfield vs New Ashford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Adams has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Plainfield has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
New Ashford has the most people working from home (17.1%).
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 | Adams | Plainfield | New Ashford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,074 |
15,141Highest |
257Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 47.3±3.3 22% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
57.1±3.6Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.6%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Ashford and Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and New Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$6kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$102,188±$30kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| New Ashford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$390,700±$50kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$74 32% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$960±$113Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,638 17% above U.S. |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,196Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Ashford and Plainfield 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 | #230 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.