Compare towns
Whitman vs Plainfield vs Abington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has the most renters (28.6% rent).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Abington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Plainfield | Abington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295 |
616Lowest |
17,053Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
39.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Plainfield and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Abington and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Whitman 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 5% above MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$125,400±$12kHighest 21% above MA |
| Abington 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±$12k 16% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$539,600±$34kHighest 4% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,724±$250 about the MA average |
| Whitman and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$7,045Highest 18% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11 MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Abington 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 | — | #143 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.