Compare towns
Windsor vs Buzzards Bay vs Oakham vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Windsor | Buzzards Bay | Oakham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065 |
2,909Highest |
1,639 |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4Lowest 12% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
| Windsor and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$454,500±$28kHighest 19% below MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,292±$558 27% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867 35% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
$4,458Highest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Plainfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
32 minLowest 10% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
38 min 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.