Compare towns
Plainfield vs Framingham vs Leyden
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%).
Framingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Leyden has the oldest population (median age 53.2).
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 | Framingham | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Lowest |
72,399Highest |
637 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
53.2±8.2Highest 33% 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%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham 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% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.6%±2.7 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% |
48.7% MA: 47.3% |
40%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Framingham 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 |
$107,419±$6kHighest 3% above MA |
$105,893±$13k about the MA average |
| Framingham and Leyden 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 |
$627,300±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$372,900±$24k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
$1,917±$451 9% above MA |
| Framingham and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,884Highest 15% above MA |
$4,651 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Framingham and Leyden 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% |
10.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
33 min 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
11%±5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Framingham 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 | — | #229 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | — |
| High school in town | — | Framingham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.