Compare towns
Windsor vs Sturbridge vs Plainfield vs Oakham
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%).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Oakham has the oldest population (median age 49).
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 | Sturbridge | Plainfield | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
9,960 |
15,141Highest |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 15% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49±2.3Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Oakham and Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Oakham and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Sturbridge 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. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$102,000±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$420,100±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Sturbridge 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. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,103 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sturbridge and Plainfield 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
38 min 43% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor and Sturbridge 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 | — | #89 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Plainfield School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
10.3Highest |
— |
| 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.