Compare towns
Maynard vs Plainfield vs Northborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Northborough has the highest household income ($153k).
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 | Maynard | Plainfield | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,712Lowest |
15,141 |
15,750Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +11.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.3Highest 16% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45±3 16% above U.S. |
| Maynard and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Northborough and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Maynard and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,067±$16k 54% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$153,199±$19kHighest 90% above U.S. |
| Northborough and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $527,400±$31k 59% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$620,000±$24kHighest 86% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$148 27% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,919±$269Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Northborough and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,266Highest 165% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$7,983 156% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.1%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northborough and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Maynard and Northborough 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Maynard | Plainfield School District | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Maynard High | Plainfield High School | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
10.3 |
10.8Highest |
| 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.