What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Natick has the most expensive homes ($821k 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	Natick
People
Population	15,141Lowest	36,873Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+12.1% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.	43.3±1.4Highest 11% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Natick 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%	20.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Natick 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%	70.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Natick 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.	$138,538±$11kHighest 72% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.	$821,000±$25kHighest 147% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.	$2,134±$124Highest 51% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.	$8,914Highest 186% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	41.7%±6.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Natick 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%	5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	25.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#131 of 149 in CT	#48 of 282 in MA
School district	Plainfield School District	Natick
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Natick High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	12.6Highest
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.