Compare towns
Northampton vs Plainfield vs Watertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northampton has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Watertown has the most expensive homes ($785k median).
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 | Northampton | Plainfield | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962 |
15,141Lowest |
35,543Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Highest 6% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.4±1.3 about the U.S. average |
| Northampton and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Northampton and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6k about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$126,265±$6kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17k 29% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$784,600±$31kHighest 136% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75 about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,502±$107Highest 77% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680 82% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,799Highest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±5.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Watertown and Northampton 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 | #159 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #171 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Plainfield School District | Watertown |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Plainfield High School | Watertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.