Compare towns
Rowley vs Windsor Locks vs Plainfield vs Newbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Newbury has the highest household income ($175k).
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 | Rowley | Windsor Locks | Plainfield | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
12,579 |
15,141Highest |
6,777 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3 29% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
55.1±4.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32k 64% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$174,868±$59kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $667,300±$52k 101% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$840,600±$40kHighest 153% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 13% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,806±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$6,661 114% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±26.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.5%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newbury and Windsor Locks 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #137 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Windsor Locks School District | Plainfield School District | Triton |
| High school in town | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | Plainfield High School | Triton Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
10.3 |
10.6Highest |
| 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.