Compare towns
Plainfield vs Dracut vs Worcester vs Groton
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).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Groton has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
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 | Dracut | Worcester | Groton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
32,574Highest |
831Lowest |
967 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
45.7±5.8 17% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.3%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Groton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$77,250±$14k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
$243,000±$70kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$288±$151Lowest 80% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 54% above U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
$3,659Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
12.5%±72.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester 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 | — | #201 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Dracut | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | Dracut Senior High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.