Compare towns
Colrain vs Newark vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colrain has the highest household income ($81k).
Newark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Colrain | Newark | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
727Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
41.4±6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Newark and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colrain and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
$72,929±$7k 10% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$229,900±$23kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,708±$97Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 38% above U.S. |
$3,771Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±8.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.