Compare towns
Merrimac vs Plainfield vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrimac has the most expensive homes ($553k median).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (12.5%).
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 | Merrimac | Plainfield | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,748Lowest |
15,141Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8Highest 27% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
48.3±4.6 24% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Merrimac and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$106,331±$22k 32% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$422,000±$36k 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325 4% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,973 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | Plainfield School District | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| 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.