Compare towns
Montague vs Plainfield vs Spencer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montague has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Spencer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
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 | Montague | Plainfield | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,482 |
616Lowest |
12,008Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.1Lowest 11% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
48.9±6.8 22% above MA |
| Plainfield and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,510±$12k 32% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$80,533±$11kHighest 23% below MA |
| Spencer and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$382,000±$22kHighest 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$115 31% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA |
| Plainfield and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
$4,458Highest 26% below MA |
$4,387 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
11%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 28% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Spencer 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 | #265 of 282 in MA | — | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague | — | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | Franklin County Technical | — | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.