Compare towns
Pelham vs Plainfield vs Amherst Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Amherst Town has the youngest population (median age 21.4).
Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Pelham | Plainfield | Amherst Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,335Lowest |
15,141 |
38,182Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45±8.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
21.4±0.2Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Pelham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
7.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
59.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$66,968±$7kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,600±$33k 35% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$484,900±$21kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Amherst Town and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,205±$560 15% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,671±$93Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Amherst Town and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,472 140% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$8,787Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±35.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.1%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amherst Town and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
23.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.8%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #58 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham | Plainfield School District | Amherst · Amherst-Pelham |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Amherst Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| 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.