Compare towns
Townsend vs Plainville vs Plainfield vs Pepperell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Townsend | Plainville | Plainfield | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
17,551Highest |
15,141 |
11,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.4±3.3 9% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$124,073±$12kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Pepperell and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$482,100±$14kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,295±$238 8% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,698Highest 115% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Plainfield School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Plainville High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.4 |
10.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.