Compare towns
Deerfield vs Plainfield vs Merrimac
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Merrimac has the most expensive homes ($553k 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 | Deerfield | Plainfield | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
15,141Highest |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.4±6.8 27% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deerfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k 31% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 25% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$553,400±$38kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318 6% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,352±$325Highest 4% below U.S. |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 87% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Merrimac and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Deerfield 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Plainfield School District | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
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.