Compare towns
Royalston vs Plainfield vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalston has the highest household income ($102k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Royalston | Plainfield | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
15,141Highest |
7,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±14.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
| Royalston and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±10 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Royalston and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,109±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,300±$18kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,650±$412Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Royalston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,196Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Royalston and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 45% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Royalston 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 | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Plainfield School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.