Compare towns
Windsor vs Hanover 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1970).
Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Hanover | Oakham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065 |
14,845Highest |
1,639 |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
| Plainfield and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Oakham 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% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Hanover 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 11% above MA |
$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,845±$341Highest 5% above MA |
$1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,292±$558 27% below MA |
| Hanover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$9,342Highest 56% above MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanover and Plainfield 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% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% MA: 62.5% |
84.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer 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% |
19.6%±4.8 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #69 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | — | South Shore Vocational Technical High | 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 |
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.