Compare towns
Plainfield vs Amesbury vs Canterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
Canterbury has the most homeowners (88.7%).
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 | Plainfield | Amesbury | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
17,403Highest |
5,124Lowest |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
48.4±4.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$103,198±$6k 28% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$334,200±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$4,140Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±13 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amesbury and Canterbury 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #151 of 282 in MA | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Amesbury | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Amesbury High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
10.9Highest |
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| 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.