Compare towns
Auburn vs Plainfield vs Oxford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the highest household income ($117k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Auburn | Plainfield | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
15,141 |
13,385Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42±2.8 8% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Oxford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Auburn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oxford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$103,862±$10k 29% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$374,900±$18k 13% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,177±$142Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Highest 70% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,622 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±15.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oxford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Oxford and Auburn 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 | #106 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #245 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Plainfield School District | Oxford |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Plainfield High School | Oxford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.3Lowest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.