Compare towns
Harvard vs Plainfield vs Thompson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Harvard | Plainfield | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,927Lowest |
15,141Highest |
9,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Harvard and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Harvard | Plainfield School District | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | Plainfield High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Highest |
10.3 |
7.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.