Compare towns
Plainfield vs Stow vs Wendell
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%).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
Wendell has the shortest commute (33 min average).
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 | Stow | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Lowest |
7,165Highest |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
47.1±8.8 18% above MA |
| Plainfield and Wendell 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
51.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Wendell 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 |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$65,288±$14k 37% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$290,300±$31kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558 27% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,239±$519Lowest 30% below MA |
| Stow 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,519 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow 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 | — | #44 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Nashoba | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | — | None 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.