What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).

New Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	New Salem
People
Population	616Lowest	1,054Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	-0.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50.6±9.5Lowest 27% above MA	55.6±2.4Highest 39% above MA
	New Salem 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%	14.5%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Plainfield and New Salem 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%	23.7%±6.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Plainfield and New Salem 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%	35.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9%	3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Plainfield and New Salem 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	$79,688±$19kHighest 23% below MA
	New Salem and Plainfield 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	$359,000±$40kHighest 36% below MA
	New Salem and Plainfield 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	$1,194±$88Lowest 32% below MA
	Plainfield and New Salem 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	$4,509Highest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%	86.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	New Salem 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%	9.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98%Highest MA: 62.5%	89%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA	1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 30% above MA	23 minLowest 20% below MA
Work from home	26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6%	19.4%±8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Plainfield and New Salem 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

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.