Compare towns
Hatfield vs Plainfield vs Worcester vs Whately
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Plainfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Hatfield | Plainfield | Worcester | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,325Highest |
1,314 |
831Lowest |
1,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5Lowest 20% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
49.3±6.7Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Whately and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Whately and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whately and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25k 10% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$116,563±$15kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Whately and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,800±$26kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$431,500±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Hatfield and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$977±$125Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Hatfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930 58% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,027Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.7%±29 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Whately 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 | #198 of 282 in MA | — | — | — |
| School district | Hatfield | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Whately |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.