What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ipswich has the most expensive homes ($745k median).

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.

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

Measure	Ipswich	Plainfield
People
Population	13,930Lowest	15,141Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	47.2±3.5Highest 21% above U.S.	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$138,750±$16kHighest 72% above U.S.	$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$745,400±$40kHighest 124% above U.S.	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,598±$90Highest 13% above U.S.	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,960Highest 155% above U.S.	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.5%±12.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ipswich and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	18.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#101 of 282 in MA	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Ipswich	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Ipswich High	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	10.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.