Compare towns
Montgomery vs Newfields vs Plainfield vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montgomery has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Newfields has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Montgomery | Newfields | Plainfield | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,047Lowest |
2,023Highest |
1,314 |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.3 32% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Newfields and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montgomery and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,289±$24kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,200±$45k about the U.S. average |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $868±$209Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,326 39% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.6%±68Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Newfields School District | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 7 photos → | 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.