Compare towns
Douglas vs Harvard 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
Douglas has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Douglas | Harvard | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207 |
6,927Lowest |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7Highest 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Harvard and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338 103% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #177 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Douglas | Harvard | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | The Bromfield High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
11.0Highest |
10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 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.