Compare towns
Plainfield vs Barre vs Leyden vs Windsor
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%).
Barre has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Leyden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
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 | Barre | Leyden | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616Lowest |
5,572Highest |
637 |
1,065 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
53.2±8.2Highest 33% above MA |
44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
| Leyden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Barre 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%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
28.6%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Leyden 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% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
41.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
$105,893±$13k about the MA average |
$115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
| Windsor and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$394,300±$55kHighest 30% below MA |
$372,900±$24k 34% below MA |
$389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
| Barre and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558 27% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,917±$451Highest 9% above MA |
— |
| Leyden and Plainfield 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 |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
$4,651 22% below MA |
$3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5 MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Leyden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.2% MA: 10% |
10.8% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.4% MA: 62.5% |
96.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
33 minLowest 12% above MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
11%±5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8 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 | — | #134 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Quabbin | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Quabbin Regional High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.