What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wilbraham has the highest household income ($122k).

Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).

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	Wilbraham	Plainfield
People
Population	14,572Lowest	15,141Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	44.3±2.7Highest 14% above U.S.	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	23.2%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Wilbraham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Wilbraham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,051±$14kHighest 51% above U.S.	$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$416,000±$25kHighest 25% above U.S.	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,175±$241Lowest 17% below U.S.	$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Wilbraham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,658Highest 113% above U.S.	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.1%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wilbraham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 min about the U.S. average	27 min about the U.S. average
Work from home	12.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wilbraham 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	#88 of 282 in MA	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Hampden-Wilbraham	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Minnechaug Regional High	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.2Highest	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.