Compare towns
Plainfield vs Rowe 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 people working from home (26.2%).
Rowe has the most kids (23% under 18).
Hawley has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Rowe | Hawley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Highest |
453 |
277Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3% MA: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
48.9±6.4Lowest 22% above MA |
56.8±7.2Highest 42% above MA |
| Hawley 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% |
23%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±10Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Plainfield 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% |
30.2%±8.1 MA: 17.9% |
37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hawley and Rowe 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% |
26.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
39.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Rowe 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 |
$69,583±$13k 33% below MA |
$87,500±$26kHighest 16% below MA |
| Hawley and Rowe 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 |
$275,000±$41kLowest 51% 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±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
— |
| Rowe and Plainfield 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 |
$1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
$4,097 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±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% |
15.8% MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
36 min 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±12.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Rowe | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.