Compare towns
Buckland vs Plainville vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buckland has the most people working from home (14.1%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Sheffield has the most expensive homes ($409k median).
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 | Buckland | Plainville | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,036Lowest |
17,551Highest |
3,330 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.5±5.4Highest 27% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
48.2±8 24% above U.S. |
| Buckland and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Buckland and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Buckland and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±4.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,877±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$92,120±$31kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Sheffield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,400±$25k 3% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$409,400±$32kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,111±$213Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,837±$1kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Sheffield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,761 53% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,520Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Buckland and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Buckland and Plainville 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 | — | #89 of 149 in CT | #250 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | Mohawk Trail Regional School | Plainville High School | Mt Everett Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
11.4Highest |
7.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 6 photos → | 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.