Compare towns
Lenox vs Plainfield vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lenox has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Lenox | Plainfield | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,658Highest |
1,314 |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lenox and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lenox and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,900±$8kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Lenox and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $161,600±$9kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $935±$83Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,184Lowest 34% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±9.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Plainfield 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 | #412 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · CANASTOTA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | CANASTOTA HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
— | — |
| 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.