Compare towns
Windsor vs Salem 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).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Salem | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,065 |
44,795Highest |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
| Plainfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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 MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Salem 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 |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
| Salem 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 |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$4,458 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Salem 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% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Salem 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Salem | — |
| High school in town | — | Salem High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.