Compare towns
Windsor vs Middlesex vs Plainfield vs Dalton
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 highest household income ($116k).
Middlesex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
Dalton has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Middlesex | Plainfield | Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065 |
1,943 |
616Lowest |
6,256Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 15% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
50.6±9.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
49.7±5.8 28% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Dalton 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Middlesex 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 43% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$63,500±$14kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$79,438±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Windsor and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$295,700±$26kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Windsor and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,292±$558 9% below U.S. |
$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Plainfield 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. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,458 43% above U.S. |
$4,276 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dalton 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | — | — | #192 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Wahconah Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.9 |
| 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.