Compare towns
Plainfield vs Montague vs Heath
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%).
Montague has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Heath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Montague | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Lowest |
8,482Highest |
765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
44.3±3.1Lowest 11% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
| Heath 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% |
19%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Montague 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 |
$70,510±$12k 32% below MA |
$98,750±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
| Heath and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47kHighest 45% below MA |
$282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
$295,000±$45k 48% below MA |
| Plainfield and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,207±$115Lowest 31% below MA |
— |
| Plainfield and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458Highest 26% below MA |
$3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague 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% |
11.5% MA: 10% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest 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 | — | #265 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague | — |
| High school in town | — | Franklin County Technical | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.