What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).

Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).

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	West Springfield Town	Plainfield
People
Population	28,772Highest	15,141Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	40.1±2.6Highest 3% above U.S.	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
	West Springfield Town and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	West Springfield Town and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	West Springfield Town and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,371±$7kLowest 14% below U.S.	$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S.
	Plainfield and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$321,500±$16kHighest 3% below U.S.	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,144±$68Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S.
	Plainfield and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,380Highest 40% above U.S.	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 27% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	10.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	West Springfield Town 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	#218 of 282 in MA	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	West Springfield	Plainfield School District
High school in town	West Springfield High	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	10.3Lowest
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.