Compare towns
Plainfield vs Becket vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Becket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.5%).
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 | Becket | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
1,962Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
49.6±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
38.7±6.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Becket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Becket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Becket and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$80,417±$29kHighest about the U.S. average |
$60,313±$10kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Becket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$361,000±$82kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$214,100±$37kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Becket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$1,317±$126 7% below U.S. |
| Becket and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,047Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,668 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.7%±73.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Central Berkshire | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.