What stands out worked out from the figures below

Winchendon has the most expensive homes ($324k median).

Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).

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	Winchendon	Plainfield
People
Population	10,440Lowest	15,141Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.6±1.9Highest about the U.S. average	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
	Winchendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Winchendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Winchendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,690±$14kLowest 6% below U.S.	$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S.	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Winchendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S.	$4,209Highest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.7%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Winchendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 23% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	11.2%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Winchendon 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	#269 of 282 in MA	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Winchendon	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Murdock High School	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	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.