Compare towns
Northbridge vs Plainfield vs Windsor vs Whitman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Whitman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Northbridge | Plainfield | Windsor | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
616Lowest |
1,065 |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Plainfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.5% MA: 47.3% |
31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Windsor and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$472,700±$12kHighest 16% below MA |
| Whitman and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,292±$558 27% below MA |
— | $1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Whitman and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 20% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
96.2% MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | — | — | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | — | — | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.