Compare towns

Plainfield vs Windsor vs Worcester vs Tolland

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).
Tolland has the oldest population (median age 51.7).

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.

MeasurePlainfieldWindsorWorcesterTolland
People
Population
616
1,065
207,055Highest
540Lowest
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
51.7±7.2Highest
29% above MA
Tolland 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%
17.8%±5.5
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%±7.1Highest
MA: 17.9%
18.6%±4.9
MA: 17.9%
13.3%±0.6Lowest
MA: 17.9%
22.6%±4.1
MA: 17.9%
Plainfield and Tolland 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%
39.3%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.5
MA: 7.9%
2.7%±1.7Lowest
MA: 7.9%
14.1%±0.8Highest
MA: 7.9%
2.8%±1.6
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
$106,250±$10k
about the MA average
Windsor and Tolland 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
$355,700±$22k
37% 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
$3,867
35% below MA
$4,733Highest
21% below MA
$2,714Lowest
55% 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%
0%±100Lowest
MA: 51.8%
Worcester and Plainfield 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%
6.3%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
98%Highest
MA: 62.5%
96.2%
MA: 62.5%
42.8%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
94.4%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1974
10 yrs newer than MA
1970
6 yrs newer than MA
1951Lowest
13 yrs older than MA
1979Highest
15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
38 min
30% above MA
37 min
27% above MA
24 minLowest
17% below MA
38 minHighest
32% 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%
12.5%±5.9
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
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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.