What stands out worked out from the figures below

Easthampton has the shortest commute (22 min average).

Plainfield has the most homeowners (98%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Easthampton	Plainfield
People
Population	16,086Highest	616Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-2.3% MA: +7.4%
Median age	46±2.6Lowest 15% above MA	50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA
	Plainfield and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Plainfield and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Plainfield and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38%Lowest MA: 47.3%	52.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Easthampton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,673±$7kHighest 31% below MA	$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA
	Easthampton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$371,500±$15kHighest 34% below MA	$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$70 27% below MA	$1,292±$558 27% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,932Highest 18% below MA	$4,458Lowest 26% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8%	40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Easthampton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8%Lowest MA: 10%	16.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	98%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 23% below MA	38 minHighest 30% above MA
Work from home	19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6%
	Plainfield and Easthampton 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	#92 of 282 in MA	—
School district	Easthampton	—
High school in town	Easthampton High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.