What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most people working from home (14%).

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	Ludlow	Plainfield
People
Population	20,904Highest	15,141Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	44.3±1.8Highest 14% above U.S.	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,838±$7kHighest 5% above U.S.	$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S.
	Ludlow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,300±$10kHighest about the U.S. average	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,223±$82Highest 13% below U.S.	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Ludlow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,918Highest 58% above U.S.	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ludlow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.5%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	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	14%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Ludlow 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	#154 of 282 in MA	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Ludlow	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Ludlow Senior High	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	10.3Lowest
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.