Compare towns
Windsor vs Halifax vs Plainfield vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Halifax has the most expensive homes ($482k median).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
New Braintree has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Halifax | Plainfield | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065 |
7,748 |
15,141Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 15% above U.S. |
41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.8±4.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| New Braintree and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10k 43% above U.S. |
$118,556±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$99,500±$8k 23% above U.S. |
| Halifax and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 17% above U.S. |
$481,500±$51kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$408,800±$27k 23% above U.S. |
| Halifax and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,804±$375Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,484±$316 5% above U.S. |
| Halifax and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$6,840Highest 119% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$5,508 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±37.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±51.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Braintree and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 min 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor and Halifax 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 | — | #120 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | — | Halifax | Plainfield School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3 |
— |
| 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.