Compare towns
Colrain vs Plainfield vs Windham
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 most affordable homes ($284k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Plainfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
1,314 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% 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% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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±$10k about the U.S. average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Windham and Plainfield 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. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
— |
| Plainfield and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | — | — |
| High school 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.

