Compare towns
Adams vs Plainfield vs Palmer Town
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).
Palmer Town has the highest household income ($78k).
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 | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,074Lowest |
15,141Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±3.3 22% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest 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%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Adams and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Adams 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. |
$78,480±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Palmer Town 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±$16kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$74Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,638Lowest 17% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Adams and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 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 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Adams 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 | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Plainfield School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.