Compare towns
Athol vs Plainfield vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Plainville has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
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 | Athol | Plainfield | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,801Lowest |
15,141 |
17,551Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,394±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14k 24% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | — | Plainfield High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.