Compare towns
Lancaster vs Plainfield vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Lancaster | Plainfield | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Lowest |
15,141 |
17,551Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Nashoba | Plainfield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.