Compare towns
Plainfield vs Northampton 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).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
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 | Northampton | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
30,962Highest |
5,124Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.3±2.2 6% above U.S. |
48.4±4.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
15%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Northampton 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%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canterbury and Northampton 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% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$80,288±$6k about the U.S. average |
$103,198±$6kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$429,700±$17kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$334,200±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,439±$75Highest about the U.S. average |
$924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$5,680Highest 82% above U.S. |
$4,140Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±13 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton 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% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | #159 of 282 in MA | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Northampton High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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| 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.