What stands out worked out from the figures below

North Adams has the shortest commute (17 min average).

Plainfield has the highest household income ($77k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	North Adams	Plainfield
People
Population	12,606Lowest	15,141Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.4% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	44.1±3.5Highest 13% above U.S.	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
	North Adams and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	North Adams and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S.	$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S.	$272,100±$16kHighest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S.	$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average	$4,209Highest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 34% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	9.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainfield and North Adams 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	#268 of 282 in MA	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Charles McCann Vocational Technical	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Highest	10.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.