Compare towns
Windsor vs Springfield vs Plainfield vs Cheshire
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).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Cheshire has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
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 | Springfield | Plainfield | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065 |
1,122 |
616Lowest |
3,216Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4Lowest 15% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8 32% above U.S. |
50.6±9.5 30% above U.S. |
53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Cheshire and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±9.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cheshire 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Cheshire 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. |
$100,893±$19k 25% above U.S. |
$63,500±$14kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$69,803±$14k 14% below U.S. |
| Windsor and Springfield 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. |
$384,100±$50k 15% above U.S. |
$309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$268,200±$48kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Windsor and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,292±$558Highest 9% below U.S. |
— |
| Plainfield and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867 24% above U.S. |
$5,946Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,458 43% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
21.2%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Springfield 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | — | — | #274 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | — | Hoosac Valley Regional |
| High school in town | — | — | — | Hoosac Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.5 |
| 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.