What stands out worked out from the figures below

Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).

Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Spencer	Plainfield
People
Population	12,008Lowest	15,141Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S.	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,533±$11kHighest about the U.S. average	$76,993±$8kLowest 5% 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	$382,000±$22kHighest 15% above U.S.	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S.	$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,387Highest 41% above U.S.	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Spencer and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	15%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Spencer 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	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Spencer-E Brookfield	Plainfield School District
High school in town	David Prouty High	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.9Lowest	10.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.