What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pittsfield has the shortest commute (19 min average).

Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).

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	Pittsfield	Plainfield
People
Population	43,457Highest	15,141Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	42.4±2Highest 9% above U.S.	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
	Pittsfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Pittsfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pittsfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,582±$5kLowest 13% below U.S.	$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$256,900±$8kLowest 23% below U.S.	$272,100±$16kHighest 18% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,134±$61Lowest 20% below U.S.	$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,148Lowest 33% above U.S.	$4,209Highest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pittsfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 30% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	10.2%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pittsfield and Plainfield 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	#251 of 282 in MA	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Pittsfield	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Taconic High	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	10.3Highest
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.