What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

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	Rowley
People
Population	616Lowest	6,251Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA	50±6.3Lowest 25% above MA
	Plainfield and Rowley 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%	19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Rowley and Plainfield 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%	21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Plainfield and Rowley 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%	56.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9%	4.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Plainfield and Rowley 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	$132,734±$32kHighest 28% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA	$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA	$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA
	Rowley and Plainfield 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	$8,309Highest 39% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Rowley 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%	3.1%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98%Highest MA: 62.5%	81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 30% above MA	28 minLowest 3% below MA
Work from home	26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6%	11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#214 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Triton
High school in town	—	None in town
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.