What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woburn has the most expensive homes ($674k median).

Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Woburn	Plainville
People
Population	41,939Highest	17,551Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.3±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average	44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	17.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Woburn and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainville and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,185±$9kHighest 38% above U.S.	$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$673,500±$17kHighest 102% above U.S.	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,221±$77Highest 57% above U.S.	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,354Highest 72% above U.S.	$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Woburn and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 4% below U.S.	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	16%±2.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#169 of 282 in MA	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Woburn	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Woburn High	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.