Compare towns
Ashfield vs Plainfield vs Sutton vs Worthington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashfield has the most renters (14.5% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($309k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Worthington has the most people working from home (28.2%).
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 | Ashfield | Plainfield | Sutton | Worthington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,893 |
616Lowest |
9,452Highest |
1,021 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.6±3.4 47% above MA |
50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
61.6±3.6Highest 54% above MA |
| Worthington and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.8%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
39.5%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Worthington and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% MA: 47.3% |
52.6% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k 22% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$91,667±$17k 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,600±$30k 29% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$380,400±$26k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$200 38% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$633±$220Lowest 64% below MA |
| Plainfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,197 13% below MA |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$5,443 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±34Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±63Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 9.1% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
93.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
38 min 30% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
41 minHighest 41% above MA |
| Work from home | 24%±6 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±12.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Worthington 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 | — | — | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | — | Sutton | Worthington |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.