Compare towns
Hadley vs Maynard 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
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Hadley | Maynard | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
10,712 |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.3±4.3 16% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Hadley and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hadley and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hadley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12k 48% above U.S. |
$124,067±$16kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Maynard and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43k 54% above U.S. |
$527,400±$31kHighest 59% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Maynard and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 about the U.S. average |
$1,800±$148Highest 27% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271 69% above U.S. |
$8,266Highest 165% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Maynard and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Maynard and Hadley 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Hadley | Maynard | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Maynard High | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
9.7 |
10.3Highest |
| 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.