Compare towns
Plainfield vs Athol vs Windsor vs Wendell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Athol | Windsor | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616Lowest |
12,011Highest |
1,065 |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
47.1±8.8 18% above MA |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.5% MA: 47.3% |
51.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$65,288±$14k 37% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$389,700±$32kHighest 31% below MA |
$290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
— | $1,239±$519 30% below MA |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458 26% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,867 35% below MA |
$4,519Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9% MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Athol-Royalston | — | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | — | Athol High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.