Compare towns
Plainfield vs Becket 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 kids (19.4% under 18).
Becket has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Canterbury has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Becket | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
1,962Lowest |
5,124 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.6±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
48.4±4.5 24% above U.S. |
| Becket and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
15%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Becket 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% |
21.3%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canterbury and Becket 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% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2Lowest 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. |
$80,417±$29k about the U.S. average |
$103,198±$6kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Becket 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. |
$361,000±$82kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$334,200±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Becket and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Becket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,047Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,140 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±13 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canterbury and Becket 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 | — | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Central Berkshire | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | 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.