Compare towns
Heath vs Plympton vs Charlemont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Plympton has the most expensive homes ($518k median).
Charlemont has the most renters (21.7% rent).
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 | Heath | Plympton | Charlemont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 765Lowest |
2,935Highest |
1,118 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±11.9 35% above MA |
46.4±4.2Lowest 16% above MA |
59.6±6.7Highest 49% above MA |
| Charlemont and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.6%±8.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
41.1%±10.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Charlemont and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38.4% MA: 47.3% |
29%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
1%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Heath and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$53,063±$12kLowest 49% below MA |
| Plympton and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$305,500±$52k 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,023±$126Highest 42% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,438 26% below MA |
$6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$4,351Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.1%±18.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Charlemont and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.3% MA: 62.5% |
93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 20% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6 MA: 18.6% |
16.5%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Plympton 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 | — | #110 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Plympton | Hawlemont |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.