Compare towns
Plainfield vs Ashby vs Wauregan
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Wauregan has the most kids (25.6% under 18).
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 | Ashby | Wauregan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
3,211 |
1,049Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+27.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
32±5.9Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±9.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wauregan and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.2%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Wauregan 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. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$79,545±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$262,700±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,254±$476Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Wauregan and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,649Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
22.4%±19.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
60.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #200 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
— | — |
| 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.