Compare towns
Whitman vs Danielson vs Plainfield vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Danielson has the most renters (47% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).
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 | Whitman | Danielson | Plainfield | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,295 |
4,209Lowest |
15,141 |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
34.5±3.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
15% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danielson and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14k 35% above U.S. |
$64,050±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$224,600±$13kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,235±$194 13% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$4,009Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±17.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northbridge and Whitman 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | — | Plainfield School District | Northbridge |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Plainfield High School | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.