Compare towns
Plainfield vs Bourne vs Hawley
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%).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Hawley has the oldest population (median age 56.8).
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 | Bourne | Hawley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616 |
20,323Highest |
277Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Lowest 27% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
56.8±7.2Highest 42% above MA |
| Hawley and Bourne 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% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±10 MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
39.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Plainfield 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 |
$91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
$87,500±$26k 16% below MA |
| Bourne and Hawley 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 |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$309,600±$38k 45% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
— |
| Bourne 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 |
$4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$4,097Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Hawley 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% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±12.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Hawley 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 | — | #206 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — |
| High school in town | — | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.