Compare towns
Monroe vs Plainfield vs Hawley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Hawley has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Monroe | Plainfield | Hawley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 122Lowest |
1,314Highest |
277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 60.2±9.9Highest 55% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Lowest 24% above U.S. |
56.8±7.2 46% above U.S. |
| Monroe and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±28 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±10Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hawley and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.1%±27.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
37.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hawley and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±18.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±5.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Monroe and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$87,500±$26kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Hawley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $165,000±$141kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$309,600±$38k 7% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,053Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,097 31% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 38.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 56 minHighest 113% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 0%±41.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±12.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hawley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.