Compare towns
Oxford vs Plainfield vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Leicester has the most expensive homes ($413k 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 | Oxford | Plainfield | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,385 |
15,141Highest |
11,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±2.8 8% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.4±3.5Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Leicester and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Oxford and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Leicester and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oxford and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,862±$10k 29% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$105,173±$9kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Leicester and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,900±$18k 13% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$413,100±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Leicester and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$142Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,487±$258Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Leicester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,622Highest 48% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,452 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±15.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.7%±14.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oxford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Oxford and Leicester 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 | #245 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #222 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oxford | Plainfield School District | Leicester |
| High school in town | Oxford High | Plainfield High School | Leicester High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
10.3Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.