Compare towns
Springfield vs Plainfield vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% rent).
Ludlow has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Springfield | Plainfield | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
15,141Lowest |
20,904 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
44.3±1.8Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Springfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,838±$7kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Ludlow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$335,300±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,223±$82Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Ludlow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,918Highest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ludlow 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Plainfield School District | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Plainfield High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.