Compare towns
Windsor vs Worcester vs Plainfield vs Chesterfield
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).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Chesterfield has the most expensive homes ($391k median).
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 | Worcester | Plainfield | Chesterfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065 |
207,055Highest |
616Lowest |
1,055 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-2.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
44.3±7.6 11% 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%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Worcester and Chesterfield 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% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Chesterfield 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% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$103,967±$11k about the MA average |
| Windsor and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$390,800±$48kHighest 30% below MA |
| Chesterfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,292±$558 27% below MA |
$1,078±$409Lowest 39% below MA |
| Worcester 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 |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$5,969Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
10.3%±84.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
16.9% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
92.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.4%±6.7 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 | — | #266 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | — | Chesterfield-Goshen |
| High school in town | — | South High Community | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6 |
— | — |
| 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.