What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).

Dalton has the oldest population (median age 49.7).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	Dalton
People
Population	15,141Highest	6,256Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-6.3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.	49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Dalton 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%	27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Dalton 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.	$79,438±$8kHighest about the U.S. average
	Dalton and Plainfield 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.	$295,700±$26kHighest 11% below U.S.
	Dalton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S.	$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.	$4,276Highest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dalton 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%	7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.
Work from home	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	12.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Dalton 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	#192 of 282 in MA
School district	Plainfield School District	Central Berkshire
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Wahconah Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	10.9Highest
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.