Compare towns
Plainfield vs Heath 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 kids (19% under 18).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Hawley has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Heath | Hawley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616 |
765Highest |
277Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Lowest 27% above MA |
53.8±11.9 35% above MA |
56.8±7.2Highest 42% above MA |
| Hawley and Heath 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% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest 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% |
33.6%±8.2 MA: 17.9% |
37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hawley and Heath 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% |
46.8% MA: 47.3% |
39.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Heath 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 |
$98,750±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
$87,500±$26k 16% below MA |
| Heath 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±$47k 45% below MA |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$309,600±$38kHighest 45% below MA |
| Hawley and Plainfield 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 |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458Highest 26% below MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
$4,097Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hawley 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% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±12.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.