Compare towns
Plainfield vs Spencer 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).
Spencer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
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 | Spencer | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
12,008Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
38.7±6.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Spencer and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Spencer 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% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Spencer 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. |
$80,533±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
$60,313±$10kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Spencer 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. |
$382,000±$22kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$214,100±$37kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,317±$126Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Marshfield and Plainfield 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. |
$4,387 41% above U.S. |
$3,668Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.7%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Marshfield 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% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #261 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Spencer-E Brookfield | — |
| High school in town | — | David Prouty High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.