Compare towns
Plainfield vs Dunstable vs Heath vs Warwick
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 homeowners (98%).
Dunstable has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Dunstable | Heath | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616Lowest |
3,408Highest |
765 |
776 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
0% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
51.4±7.3 29% above MA |
| Heath and Warwick 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% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.8% MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable 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 |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$93,333±$22k 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$349,400±$34k 38% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
— | $1,367±$163Highest 22% below MA |
| Warwick and Dunstable 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 |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
$4,380Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable 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% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
96.5% MA: 62.5% |
88.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 min 30% above MA |
34 minLowest 18% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Plainfield 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 | — | #4 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Groton-Dunstable | — | Warwick |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.