What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).

Boxford has the most expensive homes ($907k median).

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	Plainfield	Boxford
People
Population	15,141Highest	8,208Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.	49.1±3.6Highest 26% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Boxford 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%	21.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Boxford 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%	70.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Boxford 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.	$200,871±$21kHighest 149% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.	$907,000±$46kHighest 173% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S.	$776±$13Lowest 45% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	67.2%±60.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Boxford and Plainfield 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%	3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	31 minHighest 18% above U.S.
Work from home	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#131 of 149 in CT	#34 of 282 in MA
School district	Plainfield School District	Boxford · Masconomet
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Masconomet Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	12.2Highest
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.