Compare towns
Plainfield vs Windsor vs Worcester 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%).
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Hawley has the oldest population (median age 56.8).
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 | Windsor | Worcester | Hawley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616 |
1,065 |
207,055Highest |
277Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below 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% |
15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±10 MA: 19.4% |
| Worcester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hawley and Plainfield 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% |
41.5% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
39.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$87,500±$26k 16% below MA |
| Windsor and Hawley 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 |
$389,700±$32kHighest 31% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$309,600±$38k 45% below MA |
| Windsor and Worcester 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 |
— | $1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
— |
| Worcester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458 26% below MA |
$3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$4,733Highest 21% below MA |
$4,097 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
50%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
96.2% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±12.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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 | — | — | #266 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | — |
| High school in town | — | — | South High Community | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.