Compare towns
Plainfield vs Reading vs Wakefield
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 affordable homes ($309k median).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Reading | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Plainfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Wakefield 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wakefield 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | — | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| 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.